The holidays are coming, and this means time spent with friends and family. If you are planning on hosting parties and/or out-of-town guests, we have some ideas on how to make sure that you don’t have any plumbing mishaps during their visit. Nothing ruins the holiday cheer like a plumbing issue! Here are some plumbing things to keep in mind.
Kitchen
One thing that is great during the holidays is all the feasts that will be prepared. There will be chopping and slicing, peeling and dicing. One thing to keep in mind is to clean while you cook. This means as the peels are beginning to pile up, put them down the disposal and run it. There is no need to wait until there is a big pile to run the disposal. It is better to use it more often than allow for the opportunity for it to get clogged.
Additionally, with all your helpers in the kitchen, it is best to let everyone know how to dispose of food scraps and grease properly. Not everything can go down the disposal and grease should not be poured down the drain. You can set up a grease can to allow a central place for everyone to dispose of their grease. You can also show everyone where their grease can cool and solidify before being scraped into the garbage if you do not have a can.
Bathroom
With more overnight guests in your home, this means that more people will be using the bathroom. One way to stave off drain issues is to put hair traps in the drains. Most likely, while your guests are there, you will not get a clog from their hair, but it could set up a clog for later after they’ve left. Furthermore, if you set up a trap or screen over your drains, bathroom and kitchen, you can also protect things that can get accidentally dropped, like jewelry, because the trap will stop it and save the worry.
Speaking of clogs, you might need to remind your guests that only toilet paper goes down the toilet. Make sure that you have adequate waste receptacles in your bathroom and give your guests a gentle reminder. Make sure that your plunger is readily available and free from any type of defect.
To save yourself the worry of running out of hot water, you can split people up by having some shower at night and some in the morning if you have many people sleeping over. You can also have a 15-to-20-minute break between showers to allow the water heater to work and also to give your drains a break before they are put to work again.
As you prepare for the holidays, remember that implementing these suggestions can help keep your plumbing system stress-free throughout the season. This way you can concentrate on catching up with family and friends and enjoying the holidays properly.
