The holidays are a time for family, friends, and… quite a few plumbing emergencies. The majority of Americans take part in holiday parties with guests around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Big holiday meals require a busy kitchen where too much grease and food find its way into the kitchen drain or disposal. Holiday guests also equate to extra showers and baths as well as lots of extra toilet flushes. These extra guests put a serious strain on a home’s plumbing system, which results in more emergency calls to plumbers.

Follow the following holiday plumbing tips to avoid a disaster…

Kitchen Plumbing:
  • Avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain because liquid fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. Wipe congealed grease from pots.
  • Never put hard-to-grind, stringy, fibrous waste into the garbage disposer (poultry skins, carrots, celery, pumpkin pulp, or banana peels). The disposer can’t sufficiently grind these items and they will clog your sink drain.
  • Run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds before and after using the garbage disposal to flush the waste down the mainline.
  • Turn on the disposal before adding food debris.
  • Run the dishwasher and washing machine at night or at off times to conserve hot water and maintain adequate water pressure for your guests.
Bathroom Plumbing:
  • Plan ahead spread out showers throughout the day, and wait 10 minutes between showers rather than taking one right after another.
  • Turn up the water heater slightly to retain hot water.
  • If shower pressure is weak, pour a cup of vinegar into a plastic bag, place it over the showerhead, and soak.

Prevent Frozen Pipes

If water freezes within a pipe, it will expand and crack the pipe, which ultimately can cost you time and money.

Preventing a frozen pipe disaster:
  • Install pipes in an insulated place
  • Bury pipes lower in the ground, below the frost line
  • Install pipes in heated spaces, avoid attics and garages whenever possible
  • Fit pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping
  • Allow your faucet to drip during extremely cold weather to prevent a pipe from bursting

If you currently notice slower water flow and expect frozen pipes, you should call a plumber immediately. Often times issues like this can be resolved before any damage occurs.

Fixing frozen pipes with current breakage:
  • Immediately turn off the water main line to prevent flooding
  • Call one of our professional plumbing experts today for fast repairs!
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