Community Corner
Did You Know Pumpkin Pulp Can Spook Your Plumbing?
Putting stringy, scooped-out pumpkin innards in your garbage disposal can clog and jam the pipes.

Information submitted from Mr Rooter:
Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is an age-old Halloween tradition. However, this pre-holiday fun can turn into a plumbing nightmare if the pulp and seeds find their way down the garbage disposal.
With the usual increase in clogged kitchen sink drains and jammed garbage disposals that plumbers see this time of year, Mr. Rooter® Plumbing is prepared for the spike in calls.
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“We stay quite busy during Halloween because people don’t realize the pumpkin’s stringy, slimy substance hardens and sticks to the pipes,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president ofMr. Rooter Plumbing. “Our service professionals are on call 24/7, so we can repair plumbing emergencies and get our customers back to their Halloween festivities.”
The trick to keeping pumpkin pulp and seeds from causing plumbing problems is being cautious when removing and disposing of the pumpkin’s remains.
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Mr. Rooter Plumbing has this advice:
- Carve pumpkins on a newspaper away from the kitchen sink
- Do not put pulp and seeds into the garbage disposal or toilet
- Throw all pumpkin-related waste and newspaper in the garbage
- For those who recycle, put the remnants in a compost pile.
And the treat for following this recommendation – pumpkin carvers can use the pulp and seeds for Halloween snacks, desserts, breads and muffins.
About Mr. Rooter®:
Established in 1970, Mr. Rooter is an all-franchised, full-service plumbing and drain cleaning company with approximately 300 franchises worldwide. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500” and Franchise Times Top 200, Mr. Rooter franchisees provide services to both residential and commercial customers. Mr. Rooter began franchising in 1975 and is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For more information or to find the location nearest you, please visit our web site at www.mrrooter.com or www.mrrooter.ca.
--Image via Shutterstock
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