What's the Deal: Tips for avoiding a call to the plumber on Thanksgiving Day

BySarah Bloomquist WABC logo
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Tips for avoiding a call to the plumber on Thanksgiving Day
Tips for avoiding a call to the plumber on Thanksgiving Day: Sarah Bloomquist reports during Action News at 4:30pm on November 25, 2019.

Plumber Joe Carazola has some advice that could save you hundreds on Thanksgiving or the day after.

"I don't have one specifically because I'm a plumber and I don't want one. Disposals. The no-nos are: no coffee grounds, no potato peels, no egg shells. Just the smallest foodstuffs," he said.

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for plumbers. One of the culprits: clogged kitchen drains.

The solution?

"Keep a trash can handy. You shouldn't, of course, put a lot of grease down the line. As little as possible should go down the disposal," Carazola said.

You never know when you're going to need to call a plumber, but you do know if you call one, it's going to cost you a ton.

So what you need are some tips to make sure your plumber isn't sitting down at your Thanksgiving table.

First, don't use your garbage disposal as a trash compactor. Keep bones, fibrous veggies, and potato peels out of the disposal.

Next, don't flush things like baby wipes and cotton balls down the toilet, and even avoid some so-called "flushable" wipes.

Have a house full of guests? Wait 15 minutes between showers. That's not just to let the water heat up again, but it's to let your drains clear.

Also, if you notice in the weeks leading up to the holidays that your drains are running slowly, do what you can to fix them or have a plumber out and have them fix them.

And if something does happen, try to find a plumber that doesn't charge extra for emergency calls.

Bottom line, the only way you want to see a plumber on Thanksgiving Day is if they're on the guest list.

For a list of other things that should never be put in your garbage disposal, CLICK HERE.