More People in Your House for the Holidays? Prevent Common Plumbing Blunders With These Tips!
It may be hard to believe, but the holiday season is just around the corner. Did that put you into a full-blown panic, worrying about whether or not you'll have time to clean before relatives arrive? Well, regardless of how much prep work people do to get their homes ready for extended family, many tend to overlook the extra strain that these additional guests will put on their plumbing systems.
It may be hard to believe, but the holiday season is just around the corner. Did that put you into a full-blown panic, worrying about whether or not you’ll have time to clean before relatives arrive? Well, regardless of how much prep work people do to get their homes ready for extended family, many tend to overlook the extra strain that these additional guests will put on their plumbing systems.
Fortunately, if you do a little planning ahead, there are some things you can do to make sure your drains, pipes, and even your water heater are ready to handle all the visitors who will be coming to your home.
Tip #1: Prevent frozen pipes.
If you live in an area that sees freezing weather this time of year, you may already be concerned about the idea of having frozen water supply lines. A frozen pipe could spell disaster for both your holiday entertaining plans and your family’s savings. Whenever the temperature outside drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, water in the supply lines found in areas such as your basement, crawlspace, or exterior walls is prone to freezing, since these areas that are often not heated by your home’s furnace.
When water freezes, it expands. And when this happens in your pipes, it could cause weakened areas to break open. When temperatures start to warm, the ice in the pipes will melt — leaving you with water damaged walls, floors, ceilings, insulation, and personal belongings to repair or replace. This can be a huge headache for any homeowner, and it can be even more of a problem if you’re dealing with it while expecting guests in your home.
To prevent this problem in your home, leave a slow trickle of water from your kitchen and bathroom sinks when the temperatures drop. It may also be a good idea to open cabinet doors under your sinks so that warm air from your living space can circulate through these areas and help keep things from freezing. Also, if you happen to be planning to go out of town for the holidays, don’t turn your furnace off — that could cause the water in your pipes to freeze while you’re away.
Tip #2: Be mindful of what you are putting down your drains!
When preparing a holiday dinner for family and guests, you’ll likely use your kitchen sink and garbage disposal frequently. There are a few things you should NEVER put down your drain, including grease, coffee grounds, any fats or oils, gravy, batter, bones, celery, corn husks, asparagus, eggshells, produce stickers, and paper towels. Putting these items in your kitchen drains will ultimately lead to a clog that will require the assistance of a trained plumber to help remove.
When it comes to your toilet, remind your guests to not flush those so-called “flushable wipes.” While these products may claim to be safe for septic systems or safe to flush down your toilet, this really isn’t the case. In the long run, repeated use of these wipes could lead to an impassable clog in the pipes leading from your toilet to the sewer line. Encourage parents visiting your home to remind their children to not flush anything down the toilet that doesn’t belong there — small toys, paper towels, diapers, etc.
For shower and bathtub drains, consider adding a hair catcher to prevent a nasty buildup of hair and/or soap scum that you will NOT want to deal with after your guests leave!
Tip #3: Schedule water heater maintenance.
If you have guests who will be spending the night at your home this holiday season, you will want to be sure that your water heater is able to provide enough hot water for showers for everyone. If you’ve noticed recently that your hot water supply doesn’t seem to be as ample as it once was, then you may need to schedule an appointment with a professional to flush the water heater to remove any sediment deposit buildup inside of the tank.
This should help to take care of your hot water supply issue, that is, unless your tank water heater is over the age of 15 years. If that’s the case, you may want to consider replacing the unit before your guests arrive!
Bonus tip!
Don’t forget to enjoy your family’s company. While we all know how stressful it can be to get your home ready for guests, it’s important that you take the time to appreciate your loved ones during this holiday season.