With parties, holiday dinners, and family fun, the holidays are the best time of the year. But all the extra guests can bring on a lot of plumbing problems. From overflowing toilets to clogged drains, holiday plumbing disasters can put a damper on your celebrations.
Yes, it’s true. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the busiest times of year for plumbing contractors as distressed homeowners contact for assistance with their garbage disposals, clogged drains, and water heaters or toilets.
Here are a few tips from our team at Frank Gay Services to help prevent any unexpected mishaps so you can enjoy a stress-free holiday season!
Key Tips:
- Have plumbing problems fixed BEFORE the holidays
- Prevent drain clogs by not putting grease or fat down the sink
- Have your water heater checked and flushed to ensure it is ready for more usage due to guests
Don’t Leave Any Repairs Until Later
Before your holiday guests arrive, address any leaks or other plumbing issues that are causing you trouble if you have been putting off getting them fixed.
It will be embarrassing if your plumbing system goes haywire during the best time of the year and in front of your favorite people. Don’t delay; call Frank Gay Services for a plumbing inspection and maintenance asap!
Prevent Clogs
Though drain clogs are one of the most common problems that homeowners deal with during the holidays, keeping your drains clog-free is actually pretty easy.
Follow these tips and make sure everyone at your house knows these rules too:
- Don’t put bones, grease, pasta, vegetable peels, fruit peels, or any hard or large food items in the garbage disposal.
- Make sure to only flush human waste and toilet paper in the toilet. No feminine products or wet wipes, please!
- Run a steady stream of cold water while you are using your garbage disposal. Never run it “dry.” This flow of water helps carry waste fully through the drainage system.
- In the shower, use drain stoppers to stop hair and soap scrum from clogging the drain. Clean them regularly.
Since you’ll likely be cooking up a storm this holiday season, we recommend keeping a metal coffee or soup can handy for grease. You can pour grease and fat from cooking into the can, allow it to cool, and then toss it out in the trash.
Take Care of Your Toilets
Your toilets are going to be flushed a lot more than usual with the influx of guests in your home. Remind your guests to avoid flushing:
- Paper towels
- Baby wipes
- Feminine hygiene products
- Sanitary napkins
- Wrappers
- Other paper products
If these items are flushed down the toilet, they won’t dissolve or break down and your toilet is more likely to clog and overflow.
However, some of your visitors might not be aware of what they should or shouldn’t flush, so we advise posting a sign in the restroom to remind them.
Learn More > The Most Common Plumbing Emergencies
Prepare the Water Heater
Hot water is a necessity for relaxing showers after holiday fun. But if you have guests staying at your house, you should make sure in advance that the water heater is running at its optimum efficiency so that no one runs out of hot water when taking a shower.
You may also want to schedule a water heater tank flush to ensure that no mineral sediment or debris will cause problems while you have guests in town. (A water heater flush should be done at least once a year to ensure your water heater stays in optimal condition.)
It’s the Holiday Season, Is your Plumbing System Ready?
We know that you have enough on your plate during the holiday season, and taking care of your plumbing system is just another thing to add to your to-do list. But it’s worth it; you don’t want a plumbing emergency during the holidays!
If an emergency should happen over the holidays, our team at Frank Gay Services is here 24/7 to help! Give us a call at (407) 329-5145, anytime this holiday season, and we will be there to fix your plumbing problem fast!
