The holidays are the busiest time of year for plumbers. We’ve put together some info on how to prevent plumbing emergencies as you prepare for meals and house guests this holiday season.
To prevent plumbing emergencies during meal prep and cleanup, make sure your garbage disposal is in good shape. Clear your disposal of debris and buildup by putting two cups of ice cubes and a cup of rock salt into the disposal and running the unit with cold water. This will help break up embedded sludge, causing the unit to run more smoothly. Remember: always run your disposal with cold water, and never pour cooking oils or fats down the drain. Read more about what NOT to put down your disposal.
If your house is full of people during the holidays, you’ll be using a lot more water than usual. That means your home plumbing system will be put to the test. If your pipes and plumbing fixtures are pushed beyond their limits, Holiday plumbing emergencies may occur. Help prevent plumbing problems by performing basic plumbing maintenance on all high-traffic toilets, sinks, and showers. The powder room toilet is a great place to start. Learn more here about running and leaking sinks. Also, ask your guests to wait 15 minutes between showers. And gently remind them that the toilet is not a trash can. Plus make sure you are using the right kind of toilet paper. Learn more here about how to choose toilet paper.
When trying to avoid plumbing emergencies, don’t forget about your pipes! It’s extremely important to make sure your plumbing lines are protected when we have cold weather.
Happy Holidays from Richie’s Plumbing! We wish you the best of luck in preventing plumbing emergencies this year, but If you are experiencing any of these problems, contact Richie’s Plumbing today for all your plumbing needs.
Call 504-241-1556
