Boston Makes Yelp’s Top 10 Most Clogged Cities
Nothing can put a damper on a holiday celebration like a cringe-worthy plumbing mishap. Thanksgiving weekend should be all about overflowing plates, not plumbing headaches. Whether it’s a pesky clogged toilet, a leaky pipe, or a dishwasher going rogue, the day after Thanksgiving has been humorously dubbed “Brown Friday.” And, as it turns out, this is peak time for plumbers.
Yelp put together a list of the top 30 cities hit hardest by plumbing issues during and after Brown Friday. They analyzed millions of data points on their website, looking at searches for emergency plumbers, including clogged toilets, leaky faucets, and others.
Number One for Number Two
Portland, OR, tops the list with a 23% increase in plumbing issue searches during Brown Friday. Yelp’s comparison looks at searches in the seven days before and after Thanksgiving Day in 2022. Additionally, Portland stood out for searches like “clogged drains” and “drain cleaning.” According to the study, the city also saw more people requesting quotes for plumbing services on the website in November and December of 2022.
Completing the top five were Virginia Beach, VA, with a 22% rise in plumbing-related searches on Brown Friday; Raleigh, NC, which saw a 21% increase; Indianapolis, IN, also experiencing a 21% jump; and Jacksonville, FL, with an 18% surge in plumbing issues.
Where does Boston rank?
Securing the 7th spot in America’s list of most clogged cities is Boston. To steer clear of any plumbing mishaps during your holiday celebrations, Yelp recommends taking preventive measures. Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, a football watch party, or any other festive gathering, they advise leaving a restroom note, reminding guests to only flush items safe for the drains. Also, if your home has multiple bathrooms, they suggest using them all to reduce the risk of overloading a single toilet.
Take a look at the complete study here.
6 Clever Ways To Encourage Guests To Wrap Up Their Visit
Slowly start cleaning up your place.
Without saying a word, start washing dishes and clearing out the trash scattered around the room. As you clean up and tidy the space, it sends the message to your guests that the event is coming to an end.
bondarillia/ Getty Images
"So, how are you getting home?"
If you want to drop a hint to your guests that it’s time for them to start thinking about heading home, try casually asking them about their transportation plans. It’s a way of showing that you’re considerate of their needs and subtly letting them know that the evening is winding down.
MangoStar_Studio/ Getty Images
Stop serving snacks and booze.
An empty snack bowl and dry glasses can work wonders in persuading people to call it a night. As the gathering starts winding down, you can slyly stop serving alcohol and snacks. By doing this, you’re giving a subtle signal that the party is slowly coming to an end.
Caiaimage/Paul Bradbury/ Getty Images
Put on your pajamas.
When you’re ready to drop some hints that it’s time for your guests to leave, why not go all out and put on your favorite pajamas? It makes it clear to guests that you’re ready to call it a night.
evgenyatamanenko/ Getty Images
Start turning off the lights.
A sneaky move to nudge your guests towards the door is to start casually turning off the lights. Dimming the room gradually changes the ambiance of a party sending a not-so-subtle message that it’s time to wrap things up.
Nickbeer/ Getty Images
Gather for a group photo.
As a clever way to wrap up your party and gently encourage guests to leave, why not suggest taking a group photo together? It’s a way to end the party on a high note and a great closing activity too.
jacoblund/ Getty Images
