8 Simple Plumber’s Tips for the Holidays – Preventing Plumbing Disasters

The holidays are a time for family, food, and merriment. But they can also bring added stress to your home’s plumbing system.

A few preventive measures can help keep your plumbing in good condition throughout the holidays. Read on to learn about 8 Simple Plumber’s Tips for the Holidays: Preventing Plumbing Disasters.

1. Schedule a Plumbing Inspection

The holidays are a time of family and friends, but they can be a nightmare for your plumbing system. Having a plumbing inspection done before you leave is a great idea. Have a friend check in on your home periodically and leave their number and your plumber’s name in case something goes wrong.

Insulating your pipes is also important to prevent them from freezing in cold weather. This is especially true for crawl spaces and other hard to reach areas.

2. Keep a Trash Can in Every Bathroom

A burst pipe or a clogged toilet can ruin any holiday gathering. But a little preventative plumbing maintenance can keep your home’s plumbing in good working order so you can focus on spending time with family and friends.

Small items like hair and food scraps that make their way into drains can accumulate and cause clogs. A simple sink strainer can help keep this from happening.

Keeping a trash can near your toilet can also help. This can help you avoid flushing things down your toilets that shouldn’t be there, including ear buds and wipes.

3. Keep Your Water Heater in Good Working Order

The holidays are a wonderful time for entertaining family and friends. However, it can also put a strain on your plumbing system.

During the holidays, most plumbers see an increase in service calls related to clogged drains and toilets. But, these problems can be prevented with some simple maintenance and preventative measures.

The most important thing to do is schedule a pre-holiday plumbing inspection. This will allow our team to identify any issues before they cause a disaster.

4. Keep Your Drains Clean

During the holidays, your drains and toilets will probably be used more than usual. It is therefore important to keep them clean.

Avoid pouring fats, oils and grease down your drains because they will harden and clog your sewer pipes. Instead, dispose of them in a garbage can.

Place a strainer in all sinks, tubs and showers. This will prevent hair and other small debris from clogging the drains. It is also a good idea to have a drain snake on hand in case of any emergency.

5. Keep Your Water Pressure at a Minimum

A sudden drop in water pressure is usually a sign that you have a leak somewhere in your pipes. A plumber can help find and fix this problem before it becomes worse.

It would be a real pain to come home from vacation to burst pipes during the holidays. You can prevent this by insulating your pipes and having a plumber inspect them before the winter chill sets in. Also, by keeping your drains and toilets clean.

6. Keep Your Pipes Clear

When family and friends stay in your home for the holidays, it can put a lot of pressure on your plumbing system. That’s why it is important to take steps to prevent plumbing disasters from happening this holiday season.

Make sure that there is a trash can visible in every bathroom to discourage people from flushing paper towels, baby wipes, cotton balls, and other non-flushable items down your drains. This will help prevent clogged drains and toilets.

7. Don’t Forget Your Garbage Disposal

It’s not uncommon for plumbers to see a spike in emergency calls around the holidays, especially when it comes to clogged drains. However, these kinds of problems are preventable.

Keep turkey bones, stringy vegetables, potato peels, coffee grounds, watermelon rinds and olive pits out of your disposal! These can damage your disposal or clog up the pipes.

Also, remember to teach your guests proper toilet etiquette. Do not flush cotton balls, swabs, feminine products or wipes (even if they say “flushable”). These are the leading causes of toilet clogs.

8. Don’t Put Chemical Drain Cleaners Down Your Drains

A clogged drain or toilet can easily ruin the holiday mood. It’s not only unpleasant but also stressful.

You could end up spending a fortune on plumbing repairs and cleaning. And it’s not what you want to do when your family and friends are visiting.

The best way to avoid this is by putting drain strainers in your sinks and showers. This will prevent hair and food scraps from clogging your drain lines. This simple trick is much cheaper than hiring a plumber for drain line cleaning.