Now that Edmonton homes have celebrated Thanksgiving, the holiday season is once again in full force. With extended breaks and get-togethers on the horizon, it’s important to start taking precautions for the inevitable crowds. If you are one of those homes that has an open-door policy during the holidays, you will want to make sure to follow our holiday plumbing tips. Keep your pipes free from clogs and other common problems that plumbers deal with every season. The experts at Always Plumbing & Heating have put together a list of essential tips to help ensure your plumbing runs smoothly throughout the extended holidays.
GREASE
One of the most common reasons for a clogged sink is grease. Turkey, roast, bacon and many other favorite foods can produce a lot of grease during preparation. Before you start washing the dirty cookware, make sure that you dispose of the grease first. Once the grease cools it will solidify in the pipes and cause blockage. Consider keeping the extra grease in a jar to reuse for cooking and adding flavor to dishes. If you need to throw it away, let the grease harden and then scoop it into a plastic bag before placing in the trash.
GARBAGE DISPOSAL RULES
A common mistake many households make during the holidays is the incorrect usage of their garbage disposal. The word “garbage” is most certainly a misnomer in this case because this kitchen tool is not a trash can. A disposal is meant to help grind up certain kinds of small organic detritus. This means that it should not be used for anything but biodegradable food. Homeowners have thrown paper, glass, plastic, cotton and metal objects into the disposal – hurting both the disposal and clogging the pipes. Avoid any refuse or stringy, fibrous foods and always turn on the disposal along with running water before throwing organic material inside it. During the holidays, consider placing an extra trash receptacle near your kitchen sink as a convenient reminder where to put the garbage and large food detritus.
MESH SCREENS
Mesh screens (or sink drain traps) are ideal for the holiday season. Help keep food and organic waste from clogging up the plumbing by installing these simple tools onto your drain. Mesh screens are easy to acquire, easy to install and inexpensive enough to buy a couple for an additional backup. They can also be removed when you no longer need the extra help keeping large pieces of food out of the drain. Use them for all your large dinner parties this season and keep your plumbing from clogging. If you’ve got a house full of guests, you might also want to protect the bathroom and bathtub drains with mesh screens to alleviate the extra hair, soap and organic debris getting into the plumbing.
COMMODE RULES
The commode (or, more commonly, the toilet) is another problematic plumbing issue for homes during the holidays. Similar to the garbage disposal, there are only certain items that it can handle. A toilet is made for the disposal of human waste – and toilet paper. Cotton swabs, baby wipes, floss, feminine napkins and finger nails are items that are frequently found in clogged toilet plumbing. This holiday season, make sure that there is a convenient trash in very bathroom. You might also remind any small children in the home the rules about proper toilet etiquette.
HOT WATER/ WATER PRESSURE
When you have guests over during a typically frigid Edmonton winter, the hot water becomes a hot commodity. To ensure that there is enough hot water for showers in the morning, try to space out the usage. This will allow the hot water tank to reheat properly so that everyone can enjoy a hot shower or bath. You will also want to run the dishwasher and washing machine in the evening to help conserve the hot water and water pressure during peak times.
The holidays are the worst time for a household to experience plumbing problems. They are also some of the busiest times for the experts at Always Plumbing & Heating. If you find yourself dealing with plumbing issues that are beyond the scope of a plunger, don’t hesitate to call! Our agents are available 24/7 and will immediately send a qualified plumber to help with a solution. Call us at 780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253 (Fort McMurray) to keep the holidays flowing.
