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Most Americans know the day after Thanksgiving as Black Friday, a day dedicated to doorbuster deals and retail chaos. However, for the plumbing industry, this day carries a different, more infamous nickname: Brown Friday.
Nationwide, and particularly in San Diego, the day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers. Service calls can double or even triple as households wake up to the aftermath of their holiday feasts. While you are recovering from a turkey coma, your plumbing system is likely struggling to digest marathon kitchen cleanups, house guests, and an influx of grease.
Why does this specific Friday cause so much chaos? It isn’t just about the volume of mashed potatoes; it is about how we treat our drains when the house is full and the kitchen is busy.
“We see the combined stress of excess grease, potato peels, and massive use of disposal units and toilets all hitting the system simultaneously,” explains Scott Ferrell, a leading San Diego plumbing expert at Black Mountain Plumbing. “It’s an unavoidable plumbing perfect storm.”
This surge in service calls usually stems from three main areas:
1. The Kitchen Sink Disaster
The biggest villain of Brown Friday is grease. When cleaning up after the big meal, it is tempting to pour turkey drippings or gravy down the drain. While it flows easily as a warm liquid, it quickly cools and solidifies inside your pipes, acting like glue for other debris.
Combined with starchy food scraps—like potato peels, rice, and pasta—which swell in water, this creates a paste that can completely block your kitchen line.
2. The Overworked Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals are designed for small amounts of residual food, not entire plates of leftovers. During Thanksgiving cleanup, homeowners often shove fibrous vegetables (like celery and pumpkin pulp), bones, and eggshells into the disposal. These items can tangle the blades or create a blockage further down the pipe that the disposal cannot grind away.
3. The Bathroom Traffic Jam
It isn’t just the kitchen that suffers. When you host a house full of guests, your bathrooms see significantly higher traffic. Between extra showers and constant toilet flushing, older plumbing systems often succumb to the pressure.
The “toilet paper mountain” is a common Brown Friday occurrence, where guests—or helpful toddlers—use excessive amounts of toilet paper. Additionally, flushing “non-flushable” items like wipes or cotton balls is a guaranteed way to require an emergency plunger visit.
How to Survive Brown Friday
You don’t want to spend your holiday weekend waiting for a plumber. Here is how to keep your home off the emergency list:
Respect the Grease: Never pour cooking oils or fats down the drain. Pour them into a can, let them harden, and throw them in the trash.
Trash the Scraps: Scrape plates into the trash or compost bin before rinsing. Avoid putting bones, coffee grounds, or fibrous veggies in the disposal.
Stagger Water Usage: If you have a full house, try to space out showers and laundry loads (wait until after the guests leave for the linens) to give your septic system or main line a break.
Educate Guests: It may feel awkward, but ensuring guests know not to flush wipes or feminine hygiene products can save you a costly repair.
Don’t let a plumbing disaster ruin your holiday weekend. Be proactive with your cleanup, but if you do find yourself facing a stubborn clog or a backup, call the professionals.
If you have a plumbing emergency in San Diego, call Black Mountain Plumbing at (858) 536-4161.
