Plumbers have tips on ways to avoid a holiday drain disaster as families prepare their favorite dishes and gather with others.

According to Petri Plumbing & Heating, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times for plumbers.

“Once your whole family is over, it becomes impossible to keep a toilet working or sinks, with children,” says dispatch manager Jeannine Rock.

Operations manager Chris Petri adds, “People tend to just smash things down their drain. They think as if it flushes as it goes down."

Plumbers say drains are used as a piping system, so just because the food leaves the sink it doesn't mean it leaves your home.

“Next thing you know, we get backups, we get flooded kitchens, flooded basements, all kinds of stuff,” Petri says.

He says nothing but liquid is supposed to go down your drain, even if you have a garbage disposal. It is best to clear your plate of everything before dropping those dirty dishes in the sink.

“Right in that bend is where a lot of items get stuck. If it's heavier than water, they end up sinking down here getting stopped up there and then your entire drain will back up into your sink,” Petri says.

If you notice your toilet is clogged, you can try a plunger before calling a plumber, but this can only work if your toilet is slightly clogged. if that doesn't work, that's when you call in the reinforcements.

“We'll put the rainbow packing in there to make sure the bottom of the toilet doesn't get scratched… then we'll put the auger in and send it around the bend just like this,” says service expert Luke Schmalix.