Avoiding That Holiday Plumbing Disaster

Yes, it is true. Plumbing disasters can happen at any time of year. But the holidays, which tend to be hectic, can bring a whole new set of challenges that could take your issues into the winter months. You can take preventative care to avoid plumbing disasters through the holidays and during the entire winter season by following some simple reminders.

Drain Pains:
Stop the clogs before they occur with the placement of a sink strainer to catch and prevent any food scraps from passing into the drain.
In the trash: that is the best place to dispose of fat from turkey, ham or roasts as well as vegetable scraps. Other no-no’s for the kitchen drain? Celery, onions, eggshells, pasta, rice and chicken or turkey bones and those horrible potato peels.

Garbage Disposals:
When in use, be sure to turn it on and run the water for at least 30 seconds after disposing of scraps, then run the water additionally to clear it.
Notice some weird smells emanating from the disposal? A simple trick to deodorize your disposal is to add about 10 drops of tea tree essential oil or lemon essential oil down the drain while the disposal is ON. Repeat daily or weekly until the unwanted odors dissipate.

Toilets:
First and foremost, if you have a clog, don’t flush or you will have one overflowing disaster.
The Plunger: when using, make sure you have enough force behind the plunge. Be quick and repetitive and monitor for any movement or drainage, signaling that the blockage was pushed through. Make sure the water is draining before trying to flush or see item #1.

NEVER as in EVER pour a chemical drain cleaner down your toilet. Harsh chemicals can irritate your skin or eyes as well as damage your plumbing pipes.
15 guests, 1 guest bathroom: more houseguests mean more wear and tear on the toilet. A good safety measure is to replace your toilet’s flapper at least once a year. If the flapper is worn, the toilet will continuously run and that will make your water bill soar.

Dirty Dishwasher:
Hmmm, your dishes are still dirty after the cleaning cycle. To prevent this, check the drain trap which may be clogged with food and/or clean the screen. It is also important to make sure the spinning arm is clear of obstructions.

Showers:
When family members are staying with you, make sure they wait about 10 minutes between showers so that drains can clear.
Preventive measures—prior to guests’ arrival and ongoing, it’s a good thing to clean the hair from the drain to prevent build-up.

And if all of that does not work, call a plumbing professional. You don’t want plumbing issues to drain your holiday cheer or time spent enjoying your loved ones. Check out those that operate 24/7 and have their number ready…like The Waterworks. Call us at 614-232-2222.