Thanksgiving at Home: How to Avoid Holiday Plumbing & HVAC Disasters

Forrest Anderson
3 days ago
2 min read

A Forrest Anderson Guide to Keeping Your Home Comfortable, Cozy, and Clog-Free This Season

Thanksgiving is the time for warm kitchens, full tables, Arizona sunshine, and gathering with the people who matter most. But behind every great holiday celebration is a home working overtime — especially your plumbing and HVAC systems.

Between big meals, extra guests, and round-the-clock cooking, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest (and riskiest!) days of the year for both plumbers and air-conditioning technicians. The good news? With a little preparation, you can avoid the most common holiday mishaps.

Here’s a festive and helpful look at how to keep things running smoothly.

1. The Kitchen Marathon: Protecting Your Plumbing During Holiday Cooking

Thanksgiving dinner is basically the Olympics for your kitchen sink. With more food scraps and grease than any other time of year, it’s also a prime opportunity for clogged drains.

The Biggest Culprit? Turkey Grease.

It may look like a liquid when it’s hot, but once it hits those pipes — it cools, hardens, and sticks. Never pour grease down the drain, even with hot water running.

Holiday Tip from the Pros:

Scrape plates into the trash or compost bin before rinsing. Think of it as giving your plumbing a Thanksgiving break, too.

2. Guest-Friendly Bathrooms: Avoiding Stressful Clogs

More guests = more flushes, more showers, and more strain on your pipes.

Simple ways to prevent issues:

Put a small trash can in every bathroom (this stops people from flushing things they shouldn’t).
Ask guests to space out showers to avoid straining your water heater.
Check for slow drains before the big day — not during dessert.

3. HVAC & Arizona’s Thanksgiving Weather: Be Prepared for Anything

Thanksgiving in Arizona is unpredictable. In the morning you might need the heat; by afternoon, the AC. Guests moving in and out, cooking heat from the kitchen, and fluctuating temps can stress your HVAC system.

What you can do:

Replace your air filter this week — airflow is a Thanksgiving essential.
Program your thermostat to maintain a steady temp so your system isn’t fighting big swings.
Open windows during cooking to release heat and avoid making your AC work overtime.

Hosting Hack:

Ovens, stovetops, and a full house generate heat. Consider setting the thermostat slightly cooler than normal before guests arrive.

4. The ‘Post-Feast’ Rush: Why Thanksgiving Weekend Is So Busy for Pros

Thanksgiving and the weekend after it are among the busiest days of the year for plumbing calls. Common emergencies include:

Clogged garbage disposals
Backed-up toilets
Broken water heaters
Overworked HVAC systems

By doing a little prep now, you can avoid needing emergency service during the holiday.

❤️ 5. A Thanksgiving Message from the Forrest Anderson Team

As a family-owned business for more than 60 years, we’re grateful to be welcomed into your homes — whether we’re installing a new AC unit, repairing a water heater, or helping you through a holiday plumbing surprise.

Thank you for trusting us with your comfort, your safety, and your peace of mind.From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!