How to Avoid a Plumbing Disaster During the Holiday Season

With the holidays approaching, it's almost certain that someone will have a plumbing problem while the entire family is there and a feast is being prepared. Every year around this time, it happens. Drains are clogged, toilets are overflowing, and garbage disposals are breaking left and right, making this the busiest season for plumbers.

Imagine you're about to carve the large turkey when water begins to seep from the roof, ruining the gravy, casseroles, and mashed potatoes you've been slaving over all week!

Problems with kitchen sink drain and garbage disposals are some of the most common plumbing service calls plumbers receive. People are throwing items down their drains and into their disposals that they shouldn't do during the holidays, thus these services are in high demand.

Kitchen Sink Waste

People frequently throw hot grease, oil, potato peels, potatoes, and other such items down their sink drains or garbage disposals. Drain lines can quickly become clogged with these items.

Grease and oil solidify as they cool, causing clogs. Starches abound in potato peels and potatoes. When starches pass through plumbing lines and stick inside the pipes, they act like glue. Worse yet, these items might end up in waste disposal. In the disposal, there will be leftover grease, oil, and potatoes, which can cause it to stick and burn out the motor.

We encourage you to be proactive this holiday season to avoid any plumbing issues before your relatives arrive for dinner. Here are five money-saving holiday tips that could help you avoid any plumbing disasters this season.

1.   Frozen Pipes

It is still possible for pipes to freeze and rupture due to cold weather. To avoid this problem, have your plumber wrap and insulate any pipes in any crawl area or exposed wall. Wrapping and insulating pipes under sinks are also a good idea as a precaution.

2.   No Hot Water

If you have a lot of visitors, your water heater may struggle to keep up with the demand for hot water. It's never a nice thing to run out of hot water. Check your water heater settings with a plumber to ensure they are set to support the number of people in your home and keep up with hot water demand. Check all your bathroom taps and showers to ensure all are working well and fix any visible issues.

3.   Radiators are all working well

Matt Black Heated Towel Rail Radiator

Go around the house and check if all the radiators in the rooms and the towel heaters are all working, and no unpleasant surprises will occur for you and your guests. 

4.   Water Leaks

As the weather cools, water leaks become more prevalent. This is since pipes can constrict when the temperature drops. Leaks might occur if the pipes are loose or damaged in some way. If you suspect a leak, contact an emergency plumber right once. 

5.   Clogged Dishwasher Drains

When you don't scrape out excess food from unclean dishes, you'll end up with clogged dishwasher drains. Before filling the dishwasher, you don't need to rinse the dishes or wastewater. However, larger food particles must be removed from the plates before placing them in the dishwasher.

Rimless Toilet

With the holidays approaching, now is an excellent opportunity to have your home's plumbing inspected. During a plumbing check of sink drains, toilets, water heaters and towel heated rails and radiators and any potential problems will be discovered. Your plumber can also check to see if your pipes are adequately covered and insulated to avoid freezing.