‘Brown Friday’ Is Coming and Plumbers Warn Your House May Not Be Ready

Thanksgiving should be a day of food, family, and fun.

If you’re a homeowner, it might also leave you with a clogged drain, broken garbage disposal, or other issues that peak on “Brown Friday,” also known as the busiest plumbing day of the year.

Unsurprisingly, a new study from Angi reveals that 85% of homeowners say an unexpected repair bill is their top Thanksgiving stressor.

Here’s the good news: With some knowledge and prep work, you can prevent Turkey Day plumbing disasters before they start.

What is 'Brown Friday'?

There’s no busier day for plumbers than the day after Thanksgiving—a day that most plumbers refer to as Brown Friday. 

“It’s essentially the Super Bowl for plumbers. All of that extra holiday cooking and a house full of guests is the perfect storm for clogs and backups, from the kitchen sink to your main sewer line,” explains Josh Campbell, founder and president of Rescue Air & Plumbing in Dallas.

And this isn’t just some industry joke; Yelp’s data proves it. Last year, Yelp searches for “emergency plumber” shot up 27% on Brown Friday. 

According to Campbell, many plumbers are gearing up for what could be the busiest Brown Friday yet—thanks to more families hosting at home, people using more disposable wipes (which are brutal on pipes), and aging plumbing systems that are under even more stress. 

Common post-Turkey Day plumbing issues

Unfortunately, the entire household plumbing system—from garbage disposals to sewer lines— is often overwhelmed the day after Thanksgiving. Here are the most common plumbing problems plumber see:

Clogged kitchen sinks and disposals

The most typical repair calls over Brown Friday start in the kitchen. After Thanksgiving dinner, scraps like potato peels, grease, stringy veggies, coffee grounds, and eggshells get tossed down the drain—resulting in serious clogs and jammed disposals.

“Most kitchen disasters we see could have been avoided with a little prep and a strainer over the drain,” says Campbell.

Backed-up toilets

With more guests in the house, it’s common for toilets to get overworked.

Flushed wipes, “experimental” items from curious kids, and even just extra toilet paper often lead to backups and overflows—sometimes taking out multiple bathrooms at once. 

Blocked sewer main lines

Holiday crowds put extra stress on old or partially blocked sewer lines—especially in homes with aging cast iron systems.

“One big surge from showers, laundry, and flushing, and suddenly everything backs up at once,” explains Campbell.

Overflowing dishwashers

When dishwashers are battling slow drains or full pipes, they can easily overflow—causing water damage under cabinets or floors.

“A simple slow drain is something most people ignore until it becomes a big and expensive mess,” says Campbell.

How to avoid being part of Brown Friday

According to Campbell, the cost of plumbing repairs on Brown Friday can easily double what you’d pay on a normal day. That’s because plumbers are working overtime, parts suppliers are often closed, and the sheer demand makes scheduling tight. 

To save yourself from annoying headaches and costly repair bills after the Thanksgiving holiday, be sure to take these proactive measures. 

Schedule a pre-holiday plumbing check

This will give a plumber the chance to catch small or pre-existing issues early on—before the Thanksgiving holiday hits.

“It’s almost always cheaper than a holiday emergency repair,” explains Campbell.

Be mindful in the kitchen

Always scrape plates straight into the trash, keep potato peels, turkey grease, coffee grounds, and eggshells away from the disposal. Use a mesh strainer to stop scraps from getting into your drains. 

“After heavy usage, I’d recommend filling the sink with hot, soapy water and letting it drain all at once for a good flush, and try an enzyme-based drain cleaner to maintain flow without chemicals,” says Campbell.

Watch for plumbing red flags

Bubbling toilets or water standing in your shower drain (when you look through the strainer), are signs of a drain starting to back up and require a pro immediately. “If you do experience a plumbing emergency, don’t stress, a plumber is easy to find,” says Campbell.

Take advantage of the Angi holiday hotline

The Angi Holiday Hotline (877-ASK-ANGI) is a new national resource offering homeowners free, real-time advice directly from the Angi team. Available Monday through Friday during regular business hours, it’s designed to help you keep your home in tip-top shape throughout the holiday season. 

“Leverage it for last-minute repairs, décor dilemmas, DIY mishaps, budgeting and planning advice for pre-holiday projects, and emergency questions—like when to call in a pro and what to ask them,” says Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angi.