How to Keep Your Plumbing Running Smoothly Through the Holidays

It’s our busiest time of the year. During the holidays, we get a lot of calls, often in the middle of a big holiday party! While we are happy to help, we want to help you avoid an emergency plumbing call this year. Follow our tips for a smooth holiday season and a smoother plumbing system.

#1: DON’T LET GREASE GO DOWN THE DRAIN

You might feel the need to rush when you are cooking a big meal, which means you may end up pouring a lot of fats, oils, and grease down the drain to speed up the process. But this is one of the easiest ways to stop up your drains. These deceptive substances lead to clogging when the residue cools onto the pipe lining, so pour them in a separate container to toss with the trash.

#2: TALK TO THE KIDS ABOUT WHAT TO FLUSH

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Children are most likely to flush items that shouldn’t be flushed. Let the kids in your family know that you don’t allow “flushable” wipes, trash, cotton balls, or anything aside from toilet paper to go down the toilet.

#3: GIVE THE WATER HEATER A BREAK

Your water heater is sized for a certain household size. When there are many people staying in your house, they can overwork the water heater. Take a break between showers so as not to burn out any components. As an extra precaution, schedule water heater maintenance with a plumber before your next houseguests arrive.

#4: TREAT THE GARBAGE DISPOSAL KINDLY

Your garbage disposal is powerful, but it cannot process hard food items like meat bones and fruit pits. Stringy foods like corn husks could wrap around the impellers and jam up the disposal motor. And too much food at once can cause trouble for the garbage disposal as well. You definitely don’t want to lose your disposal while you’re getting ready for the holidays, so take care of it or call for emergency plumbing service if you need it.