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

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.

Other foods that cause problems:

• Potato peels

• Rice

• Eggshells

• Coffee grounds

• Fibrous veggies (celery, onion skins)

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!