The holiday season is upon us and brings with it many things. From peppermint mochas to decorating for the holidays, to enjoying some downtime at home and spending quality time with family and friends, it truly is a wonderful time of year no matter how you spend it.
It’s also a time of year when holiday festivities can place extra demands on your home’s plumbing system. There’s nothing that’ll interrupt holiday festivities faster than a guest who flushes something down the toilet that causes it to back up, or a clogged kitchen sink during a holiday dinner. Let’s go over how to make sure your Lake Forest plumbing system is ready for whatever the holiday season throws its way.
A Lesson on What Should and Shouldn’t Go Down the Drain
Now’s the ideal time to go over what should and shouldn’t go down the drain with household members and out-of-town guests. Garbage disposal clogs and a backed-up toilet can happen when well-meaning family members mistakenly put something where it doesn’t go.
In the kitchen, post a note about what shouldn’t go down the kitchen sink to prevent any mistakes. Coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta, potato peels, rice, flour, bones, seafood shells, fats, and oils should always be put in the garbage.
In the bathroom, let guests know in the nicest way possible that only waste and toilet paper should go down the toilet. Items that can cause a toilet to back up include “flushable” wipes, makeup removal wipes, paper towels, dental floss, cotton balls, Q-tips, and feminine products.
Fix Existing Issues Before Company Arrives
Do you have a leaking faucet? How about a slow-draining shower? Perhaps one of your drains is on the stinky side? If you know about a minor problem that has the potential to become a major headache when the holidays make demands on your plumbing system, get it fixed now.
Plan Water Usage
Your home’s water heater probably handles the demands for hot water just fine—at any other time of year. But what if your household number doubles in size due to visits from out-of-town guests?
If you’re expecting lots of visitors, it’s a good idea to have a plan of attack for hot water usage. Work out a schedule for showers so that you don’t end up with several people needing to shower at the same time every morning. Also, run the dishwasher and washing machine in the evening to avoid leaving your guests without sufficient hot water for their showers.
Schedule Pre-Emptive Drain Cleaning
We know the idea of drain cleaning isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about gift ideas for the holidays. But making sure you won’t have any plumbing snafus during the most wonderful time of year is a gift that keeps on giving after the holidays are over. Our plumbing technicians can inspect your drain lines, check for specific problems, and then fix them so you can go back to enjoying the holiday season.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air has served Orange County since 1981. Schedule plumbing service with our technicians today.