It’s the most wonderful time of the year! This season, we gather with family and friends to celebrate, reflect and enjoy the magic of the holidays. As a company, we’re grateful for so much — our incredible customers, our hardworking team, and the loved ones who support us every day. With extra cooking, cleaning, and overnight guests, your home is sure to be full of festive cheer — and full of activity! To help keep the celebrations running smoothly, here are some tips to make sure your plumbing doesn’t turn into a holiday hassle.
1. Don’t Send Everything Down the Drain!
With all the cleanup that is happening in the kitchen, it may be tempting to send everything through the disposal. The best practice is to scrape all food waste into the trash bin. The disposal is best used for only small scraps, not all food waste. NEVER put grease down your drains. It will solidify and potentially cause backups and even bigger problems down the road. It is better to let the grease cool down and solidify, then scrape into the trash bin.
2. Be Aware of When You’re Running Disposal and Dishwasher
Timing can make or break your Thanksgiving festivities. After everyone has enjoyed their meal, you are ready to get the kitchen cleaned and reset as quickly as possible. It makes sense to want to start that dishwasher running as soon as possible. But make sure you have cleared your disposal and sink lines before you run the dishwasher. These lines may be connected to each other and if there is still some food in the disposal, it may show up in your dishwasher. Run the disposal often to keep that line clear. Wait to run the dishwasher until you are done rinsing and clearing out disposal.
3. Time Your Showers
If you have family staying with you, it will be beneficial to give your drains a couple minutes to drain before the next person jumps in the shower. This will allow any hair that may have slipped down the drain to clear out before the next person jumps in. It will also allow your water heater a few minutes to heat up some more water in the meantime. Bonus tip: Get a mesh strainer to cover your drain to minimize the amount of hair slipping down the drain causing clogs.
4. Flush Only TP
The bathroom is bound to get some increased traffic during this busy holiday. It’s always beneficial to remind yourself and guests that toilet paper should be the only foreign object going down the drain. Never flush feminine products, wipes of any kind (including “flushable” wipes), or paper towels. These items will wreak havoc on your pipes and septic system.
5. Address Plumbing Problems Before the Big Day
It is always a good idea to get your plumbing checked out before big holidays where you are opening our home to family and friends. If you’re experiencing issues already, give us a call. We are here to help!
