SALISBURY, MD - While Black Friday is known as one of the busiest shopping days of the year, it’s also a peak time for local plumbers, who call it “Brown Friday” due to the influx of calls related to plumbing issues.
As shoppers packed the malls, plumbers were on call to handle the unexpected plumbing challenges that often arise during the holiday season.
Josh Martin, owner of Seaside Plumbing says, "We typically see a lot of kitchen drains start to back up most likely because of all the cooking that’s happening."
According to Martin, the holiday cooking and large family gatherings lead to plumbing problems, especially with kitchen sinks and garbage disposals. Grease from turkey and other leftovers frequently end up down the drain, leading to blockages. Additionally, the increased household activity, with more people using the plumbing systems, adds extra strain.
"And then the other things that we tend to see more use and abuse of that system just because you have all that company in the house," Martin added.
For Seaside Plumbing, it’s a busy day. Martin said his team usually sees a 40% increase in drainage backups on Brown Friday.
"We see an influx of usually about with drainage backups at least a 40% jump at least on Brown Friday," he said.
On this particular day, several homes required service. Seaside Plumbing technicians were seen working in crawl spaces, inspecting outdoor pipes, and repairing bathroom plumbing.
"So between Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, and today, Brown Friday, we’ve been inundated with at least 12 calls just between the two just with people that need our help," Martin said.
With so many households facing plumbing issues, Martin offers a few tips to keep things flowing smoothly over the holidays.
"So if Uncle Johnny is staying over for the holidays, I would just say to Uncle Johnny, please, just the proper items need to go down the toilet. That’s all. No grease down in the kitchen drain and only toilet paper in the toilet. Flushable wipes are not quite flushable," Martin said.
As the holiday season continues, Martin’s advice could help prevent more plumbing mishaps, allowing families to focus on enjoying their time together.
