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Plumbers see huge spike in calls to unclog toilets because of Thanksgiving

Posted at 6:20 PM, Nov 22, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-22 21:20:03-05

According to plumbing companies, the day after thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for them, unclogging drains and toilets.....and you may understand why.  
    23ABC's Adam Bowles has details on how you can prevent damage if you and your guests "overwhelm the systems" this holiday season.

The motto for Robo Plumbing of Bakersfield..."We Pump Your Dump".

"The people were scooping what was in the toilet and throwing it out the window," Gilbert Herrera says.

Gilbert Herrera and his apprentice Jordan Saul have seen first hand how dirty the plumbing business can be. With one of the biggest holidays involving food upon us, people welcoming guests into their homes.; for these plumbers it is about to get dirtier.

"You get ten or fifteen in your house, your septics probably cant handle it," Herrera says.

According to Roto Rooter Plumbing, customer calls increased 50% the Friday after Thanksgiving and a 20% uptick in business over Thanksgiving, which means for them a whole lot more nose plugs.

According to Herrera its everything that you use that could go into your septic tank...not just toilets.  Your sinks, your bathtubs, your washing machines, everything could back up your drains this Thanksgiving with more people using them.  For them its all about maintenance.

"When you pump your tank down it takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to works its way back up to working level.  So it gives your system time to soak back into the ground. So even doing that will help it out," Herrera says.

Here's some tips to prevent plumbing issues. Don't use a lot of toilet paper. No baby wipes, No large pieces of food in the sinks and garbage disposal and don't pour grease down the sink.