The holidays are that wonderful time of year when family and friends gather in your home for food, festivities, and fun. While this season is for special times with those you love, it can also be the time of year when your home’s plumbing system has to work extra hard to keep up with the demands of a full house.
Nobody wants to think about experiencing a plumbing issue in the midst of a celebration. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to keep your plumbing running smoothly. In this article, we’ll talk about five steps you can take to steer clear of plumbing issues during the holiday season, and how Boelcke can help if there’s a problem. Keep reading to learn more!
6 Tips to Keep Your Plumbing Problem-Free this Holiday Season
- Know what to throw away. In the midst of a busy holiday meal, it can be tempting to scrape plates into the sink. However, this can lead to buildup in your drains, which inevitably can cause your sink’s plumbing to clog. Make sure your sink strainers are in place, and scape plates and serving dishes into the garbage.
- Keep your garbage disposal clear. There are certain foods that you should avoid putting down your garbage disposal. Bones, eggshells, fat, grease, and string vegetables like celery and squash should not go in your disposal. They can clog your unit, or cause issues with the blades and motor.
- Avoid toilet clogs and overflows. You know what’s safe to flush down your toilet, but your guests might not. As a rule of thumb, items like baby wipes and diapers, personal products, cotton balls, swabs, pads, and cigarette butts should never be flushed down the toilet. Clogs can happen, though, so it’s always a good idea to have a plunger nearby.
- Properly dispose of grease. Grease is the word when it comes to common drain problems. Dumping grease down the drain is never a good idea, as it can solidify and cause a clog. Not to mention, grease attracts anything else that might slip down your drain, such as food particles and hair, causing a large clump in your drain pipes. Pour grease into a can that can be disposed of when it cools, or wait for grease in pans to solidify and scrape it into the trash.
- Give your drains some extra TLC. Because your sinks and tubs will likely be working overtime this holiday season, you can help keep your drains in good condition with some common household items. Baking soda and vinegar can help keep drains running freely. Start by running hot water down the drain. Next, pour a solution of 1 cup of baking soda, one cup of water, and one cup of vinegar into the drain. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, and flush with hot water.
- Keep the hot water flowing. When you have guests staying over during the holidays, and you’re working hard to prepare those fantastic holiday dinners, your hot water heater is working overtime, too. It’s good practice to have a professional plumbing service, like Boelcke, inspect your hot water heater annually to make sure it’s functioning properly. And, if your hot water heater is more than 10 years old, it’s time to consider replacing it.
Can Boelcke help me if I have a holiday plumbing problem?
Despite your best efforts, you could run into a plumbing issue that needs professional attention. That’s where Boelcke comes in. We provide a complete range of plumbing services, so no matter what your concern may be, we can help get your toilets, sinks, and drains back in working order promptly and professionally.
We can even help you get ahead of the game by inspecting your plumbing and fixing any problems that might be a cause for concern once your holiday guests arrive. Just give us a call at (269) 429-9261. We’ll tell you about the different bathroom plumbing products and services we offer, and help you find the solution that best suits your needs.