Brown Friday

Last updated
Brown Friday
Date(s)Friday after Thanksgiving
Frequencyannually
CountryUnited States, Canada

Brown Friday is a term commonly addressed to the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. The term was coined by plumbers who report a sudden increase in service calls that report clogged drains and broken garbage disposals happening, directly after Thanksgiving.

Vic Fredlund, the service manager of Abacus Plumbing, believes this event to be caused by people "putting materials like starches, fibers, materials, things like that in the garbage disposal." Doyle James, the president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, blames it on "the grease and the potato peels," and Paul Abrams, a spokesperson for Roto-Rooter also blames it on potato peels, as well as rice, stating: "People continue to peel potatoes over the sink and then push the peels down into the garbage disposal [...]. Rice [is also] consistent with big holiday meal prep," which all tend to clog drains and pipes, especially after Thanksgiving with the large amounts of waste it produces. Additionally, in a large gathering such as Thanksgiving, toilet pipes also tend to be clogged up by large amounts of toilet paper and wipes. [1] [2] [3]

Major plumbing companies in North America report drastic increases in service requests. Mr. Rooter Plumbing report a 50% increase in service calls on Brown Friday. [4] Roto-Rooter reports a 48-50% increase in service calls on Brown Friday. Bell Brothers report a "higher volume of calls." [5]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sink</span> Bowl-shaped plumbing fixture

A sink is a bowl-shaped plumbing fixture for washing hands, dishwashing, and other purposes. Sinks have a tap (faucet) that supplies hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing. They also include a drain to remove used water; this drain may itself include a strainer and/or shut-off device and an overflow-prevention device. Sinks may also have an integrated soap dispenser. Many sinks, especially in kitchens, are installed adjacent to or inside a counter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Septic tank</span> Method for basic wastewater treatment (on-site)

A septic tank is an underground chamber made of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic through which domestic wastewater (sewage) flows for basic sewage treatment. Settling and anaerobic digestion processes reduce solids and organics, but the treatment efficiency is only moderate. Septic tank systems are a type of simple onsite sewage facility. They can be used in areas that are not connected to a sewerage system, such as rural areas. The treated liquid effluent is commonly disposed in a septic drain field, which provides further treatment. Nonetheless, groundwater pollution may occur and is a problem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flush toilet</span> Toilet that uses water to convey human waste down a pipe

A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using the force of water to channel it through a drainpipe to another location for treatment, either nearby or at a communal facility. Flush toilets can be designed for sitting or squatting, in the case of squat toilets. Most modern sewage treatment systems are also designed to process specially designed toilet paper. The opposite of a flush toilet is a dry toilet, which uses no water for flushing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plunger</span> Tool to clear blockages in drains and pipes

A plunger is a device driven by or against fluid pressure. In plumbing, the term plunger commonly refers to handheld tools used to clear blockages in drains and pipes. Plumbing plungers consist of a rubber suction cup attached to a stick (shaft) usually made of wood or plastic. A different bellows-like design also exists, usually constructed of plastic. Alternate names for plumbing plungers include force cup, plumber's friend or plumber's helper.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drain-waste-vent system</span> Plumbing fixture

A drain-waste-vent system is the combination of pipes and plumbing fittings that captures sewage and greywater within a structure and routes it toward a water treatment system. It includes venting to the exterior environment to prevent a vacuum from forming and impeding fixtures such as sinks, showers, and toilets from draining freely, and employs water-filled traps to block dangerous sewer gasses from entering a plumbed structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roto-Rooter</span> Plumbing company

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home repair</span> Maintenance and resolution of problems in a house

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garbage disposal unit</span> Device that shreds food waste for disposal via plumbing

A garbage disposal unit (also known as a waste disposal unit, food waste disposer (FWD), in-sink macerator, garbage disposer, or garburator) is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The device shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than 2 mm (0.079 in) in diameter—to pass through plumbing.

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A grinder pump is a wastewater conveyance device. Waste from water-using household appliances flows through the home’s pipes into the grinder pump’s holding tank. Once the wastewater inside the tank reaches a specific level, the pump will turn on, grind the waste into a fine slurry, and pump it to the central sewer system or septic tank.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uniform Plumbing Code</span>

Designated as an American National Standard, the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) is a model code developed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to govern the installation and inspection of plumbing systems as a means of promoting the public's health, safety and welfare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piping and plumbing fitting</span> Connecting pieces in pipe systems

A fitting or adapter is used in pipe systems to connect sections of pipe or tube, adapt to different sizes or shapes, and for other purposes such as regulating fluid flow. These fittings are used in plumbing to manipulate the conveyance of fluids such as water for potatory, irrigational, sanitary, and refrigerative purposes, gas, petroleum, liquid waste, or any other liquid or gaseous substances required in domestic or commercial environments, within a system of pipes or tubes, connected by various methods, as dictated by the material of which these are made, the material being conveyed, and the particular environmental context in which they will be used, such as soldering, mortaring, caulking, plastic welding, welding, friction fittings, threaded fittings, and compression fittings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trap (plumbing)</span> Plumbing device

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying toilet</span> Plastic bag that is used as a simple toilet substitute

A flying toilet is a facetious name for a plastic bag that is used as a simple collection device for human faeces when there is a lack of proper toilets and people are forced to practise open defecation. The filled and tied plastic bags are then discarded in ditches or on the roadside. Associated especially with slums, they are called flying toilets "because when you have filled them, you throw them as far away as you can".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grease trap</span> Trap designed to intercept most greases and solids before they enter a wastewater disposal system

A grease trap is a plumbing device designed to intercept most greases and solids before they enter a wastewater disposal system. Common wastewater contains small amounts of oils which enter into septic tanks and treatment facilities to form a floating scum layer. This scum layer is very slowly digested and broken down by microorganisms in the anaerobic digestion process. Large amounts of oil from food preparation in restaurants can overwhelm a septic tank or treatment facility, causing the release of untreated sewage into the environment. High-viscosity fats and cooking grease such as lard solidify when cooled, and can combine with other disposed solids to block drain pipes.

CCTV drain cameras, also known as sewer cameras or pipe inspection cameras, are a line of waterproof, high definition cameras that have become a widely popular technology in the plumbing profession. These cameras are advanced diagnostic tools that allow plumbers to execute plumbing inspections, called CCTV Drain Surveys with heightened accuracy.

References

  1. "Why plumbers call the day after Thanksgiving 'Brown Friday'". FOX 35 Orlando. 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  2. "Why plumbers call it 'Brown Friday,' and it's not why you think". KTLA. 2023-11-24. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  3. "Beware Of Post-Thanksgiving 'Brown Friday' AKA Plumbers' Busiest Day Of The Year". Yahoo Life. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  4. Hickman, Kiersten (2019-11-05). "Brown Friday: What You Can Learn From Plumbers' Busiest Day of the Year". Family Handyman. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  5. "What's "Brown Friday" and why are plumbers preparing for it? - CBS Sacramento". www.cbsnews.com. 2022-11-23. Retrieved 2023-12-10.