Well, the holidays are fast approaching which means family and friends will be making their way to your home for all the celebrating. The holidays are filled with so much laughter, family time and loving memories. But when you have a whole lot of people in your home it can definitely put a bit of a strain on your home’s plumbing system. The plumbing problems that can ultimately occur may include a clogged toilet, broken dishwasher, clogged kitchen sink or even a broken garbage disposal. Whatever the case, don’t fret, Steve Mull Plumbing is on hand to help.
The team here at Steve Mull Plumbing wanted to put together a simple list of potential plumbing issues that could arise during the upcoming holiday celebrations in your home. During the busiest and most joyful time of the year, plumbing problems can still occur, so here are some tips to help avoid those unnecessary challenges.
BE PROACTIVE IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS
The kitchen is probably the busiest room in the house during the holidays. With all the holiday food prepared and all that goes into presenting the perfect family dinner, in addition to all the dishes, pots and pans as well as all the food scraps when dinner is done, the chances for problems are many. The garbage disposal or dishwasher can be overworked or the kitchen drain becomes clogged with all the excess food scraps and grease. Here are some simple steps you can take to avoid those annoying clogs.
- Remember that the typical garbage disposal is designed to handle only a certain amount of food at any one time. With that said, be sure not to overstuff the disposal and avoid putting banana peels, poultry or turkey skin, celery, bones, or egg shells down the disposal because they not only can clog the garbage disposal but can clog your kitchen sink as well. In addition, there are certain foods such as pasta, potatoes and rice that can expand in the plumbing pipes and cause a whole lot of serious problems right in the middle of your holiday celebrations.
- Never, ever put grease, fatty materials or oils of any kind down the drain since they can solidify and absolutely cause a blockage. The best way to dispose of oil, grease and other fatty materials is to allow them to entirely cool down and then put them into some sort of a sealed container or into a garbage bag.
- Always use a strainer or a drain basket in your sink in your efforts to catch any and all food particles when washing the dinner dishes.
- The bathrooms during the holiday season can be faced with a number of problems. If there are too many family members or guests taking showers or using the toilets constantly, you are apt to experience some sort of plumbing issues. Obviously, your guests need to use the toilet and long staying guests will need to shower, so the folks here at Steve Mull Plumbing want to share a couple of measures you can take to avoid problems from occurring in the bathroom.
- Be sure you have a garbage pail accessible in the bathroom to allow individuals to toss away certain items. It is important you remind your guests to never flush paper towels, wipes, or sanitary products down the toilet since, more times than not, they will cause a clog and even more serious plumbing problems.
- If you have multiple guests that are staying for a long term, it is best to spread out the time between showers and baths so that you are sure to have sufficient hot water to accommodate all their needs. There is nothing worse than waking up on a cold winter day, jumping in the shower only to find that there is no hot water, and surely what an embarrassment that can be to you as well.
CONTACT OUR FRIENDLY TEAM
The holidays are meant to be a special time of year, which is why the team here at Steve Mull Plumbing want to remind you to take necessary steps to avoid plumbing problems so as not to have your holiday time with family and friends spoiled. Remember, for the highest quality plumbing products and services this side of the state you can always rely upon the dedicated professionals here at Steve Mull Plumbing. From our family to yours we send along wishes for a joyous and safe holiday season!