Protect Your Sink From A Thanksgiving Kitchen Disaster With Tips From Roto-Rooter

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Black Friday might be the craziest day for shopping, but it's also the busiest day for plumbers.

Robert Laws from Roto-Rooter visited the KCAL 9 studios Wednesday to give viewers tips on how to protect themselves from a kitchen emergency following their Thanksgiving feast.

The day after Thanksgiving is the single busiest of the year for Roto-Rooter's residential plumbers. Big holiday meal preparation and cleanup can lead to a lot of unwanted waste in the kitchen drain and garbage disposal. Also, a house full of holiday guests who require additional laundry loads, showers and toilet flushes puts a strain on household plumbing.

Incoming calls to Roto-Rooter, for kitchen jobs alone, will jump 50% above the average Friday. The four-day Thanksgiving weekend averages a 21% increase over any other Thursday through Sunday period during the year. Roto-Rooter is prepared with additional staff to address the increase in calls and jobs, saving consumers from long waits with guests in the house and outrageous holiday service charges.

Thanksgiving hosts can avoid a visit from their plumber over the holiday weekend by following these clog-preventing tips:

· Never pour fats or cooking oils down drains. They solidify in pipes. Instead, wipe grease from pots with paper towels and throw in trash.

· Avoid putting stringy, fibrous or starchy waste in the garbage disposal. Poultry skins, celery, fruit & potato peels, for example, cannot be sufficiently broken down.

· Make sure the disposal is running when you put food into it. Don't wait until it's full to turn it on.

· For homes hosting weekend guests, it's a good idea to wait 15 minutes between showers so slow drains have time to do their job.

· Never flush cotton balls, swabs, hair or facial scrub pads down a toilet. They don't dissolve and will cause clogs.

· Try to address any plumbing problems before the holiday and before guests arrive. However, in holiday emergencies, don't hesitate to ask up front about extra holiday service fees.

· As always, know your limits. Often, minor plumbing problems turn into plumbing catastrophes if not handled properly.

For more information, or in case you have a kitchen emergency, visit Roto-Rooter online.