Plumbing Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

Hosting a holiday family gathering can be wonderful and stressful at the same time.

You want everything to be perfect, clean house, delicious meal, laughter, comfort, and good conversation for you and your guests. But we all know that things can happen, things that can either make or break your perfect holiday celebration.

One thing we don't want to interrupt that celebration is the need to call a plumber. So here are a few tips that can help prevent a plumbing mishap during this holiday season:

Things to do beforehand.

Just in Case

Locate your main water shut-off valve and give yourself a refresher course on how to close it. Show someone else in the house how to close it as well. This way if something suddenly breaks and the water won't shut off, you can close it quickly and hopefully avoid panic and a mess.

If it has been more than 3 years since your septic tank was last pumped, now is a good time to call and have it done. This will ensure that the system is ready of company and extra water usage, giving you peace of mind throughout the holidays and over the winter.

Did you know that the day after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year for plumbers? Here are some tips to help avoid plumbing issues during this special time.

You should never pour fats, oils, and grease down your sink drain. Anything that hardens when cool can stick to the drain walls and set in the trap causing buildup and backups.

Instead, save cooking grease, drippings, and oils in an empty can, or cardboard milk container. Once it hardens, dispose of it in the trash. (If you use a plastic container let the liquids cool enough before you pour it in so as not to melt the container and make a mess).

While using the garbage disposal put small amounts of food in little by little while running plenty of hot water to help rinse particles away and to avoid buildup.

Avoid putting large pieces of fruit and vegetables, peels, meat, fat, or bones down the garbage disposal. Large chunks of food may be too tough to be broken down and can damage the disposal blades and clog the drain.

A couple of little things that may prevent unintended mishaps.

Have a trash can with a lid and liner in every bathroom. That way guests won’t be tempted to flush facial tissues, baby wipes, or other items that may cause unexpected clogs and backups.

Last but not least, have a plunger accessible for guests to use just in case something doesn't flush properly. Your guest will appreciate that they were able to handle the situation without involving you.

I hope these tips help you host the perfect, worry-free family gathering this holiday season.