BELL COUNTY, TEXAS(KXXV) — "This allows me to inspect to make sure the clogs are gone and to verify what might have caused it," said Christ Roberts, owner of Epiphany Plumbing Solutions.
- Holidays are the busiest season for plumbers.
- Prediction by 2027, we will be short over 500,000 plumbers.
- Plumbing courses can take up to a year.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Here is Chris Roberts with Epiphany Plumbing Solutions—no relations. He's out working on clogs during his busiest season, the holidays. Roberts operated a camera in one of our neighbor's home pipes to check for the issue.
"He has a belly right there," said Roberts.
Roberts said a belly causes a U-shaped curve that can disrupt the wastewater flow, causing what they consider a "brown Friday" after the Thanksgiving holiday.
"Disposables are a big part of plumbing problems in the system," Roberts said. "A lot of food contains a lot of grease. If you are a heavy disposable user, limit what you put down the kitchen sink."
Brown Friday and clogged drains are not the only concern here.
According to a Bloomberg study, there is a nationwide shortage of plumbers; it is predicted that in 2027, we will be short of over 500,000 plumbers. The economic cost is 33 billion. Chris tells me he has been in the business for 15 years and is a one-person team during this busy holiday season serving our neighbors. Many other plumbers I spoke with tell me they are booked until the end of December.
"It is not a clean job by any means, but it is a necessary one, and there is always going to be a need for plumbers," Roberts said.
According to Central Texas College, plumbers can make an average of 51,000 dollars annually. Several colleges around our community offer plumbing courses, including Central Texas College, Temple College, and Texas State Technical College, for a degree or certification. The courses can take up to one year to complete.
AVOID BROWN FRIDAY TIPS:
- Do not dispose of bones, grease, or eggs in the disposal.
- Do not put large chunks of food in the disposal.
- Never put stringy, fibrous, or starchy waste down the garbage disposal.
- Make sure the disposal is running when you feed it food scraps.
- If sink has standing water do not add chemicals.
- Don't flush wet wipes down toilets. They are slow to dissolve and will clog pipes.
- Place a waste basket in the bathroom.
- Keep the plunger handy.
- Spread out showers and laundry loads.
