SHERWOOD, Ark – Tomorrow, Thanksgiving will be here followed by the biggest shopping day of the year.

However, did you know Black Friday is also one of the busiest days of the year for plumbers?

Eric Scroggins with Roto-Rooter says with a larger number of guests in your home and an excess amount of kitchen use it’s a busy day for him and his team.

“We find a lot of grease, utensils, cups and food items such as bones. You know people think they can put anything down there,” he says. “Your garbage disposal is not designed to handle that type of stuff.”

While sinks are a common call, it isn’t the number one call plumbers get, says Scroggins.

“Toilets and improper disposal,” he says.

Scroggins says he sees an overuse of the restroom facilities because typically a home is made to accommodate 2 – 5 people but on holidays like Thanksgiving it can grow to a number of 20 or more.

The day after Thanksgiving can bring as much as a 50% increase in calls compared to a normal Friday for plumbers.

Here are some tips to avoid calling the plumber:

1. Use strainers in sinks to avoid large items entering the sink
2. Monitor proper garbage disposal usage
3. Do not pour grease down sink or toilet
4. Periodically check the restroom for a proper flush
5. Consider adding a larger wastebasket to the restroom for proper disposal.

Lastly, creating and posting signs throughout your home helps guests understand what is the best practice for your home’s plumbing.

Click here for more information about getting a plumber.