How to Avoid Holiday Season Plumbing Problems

Holiday Plumbing Tips to Prevent Problems

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for friends and loved ones to gather for the holidays! It’s not only the busiest time for Santa but also for our plumbers at Meyers Companies, Inc..

The holidays are a popular time for plumbing problems because families and friends gather in large numbers to cook and spend time at home together. Although it’s the most exciting season of the year, winter comes with a lot of problems, and the holidays can mean trouble for your home’s plumbing system.

Here’s how to prevent common plumbing issues like clogs, damaged drains, and fixtures at your home this holidays season and beyond!

1. Ditch the Garbage Disposal for the Trashcan

You may think your garbage disposal can stand up to just about anything, but before you put all of your trust in your garbage disposal to get rid of excess garbage, beware of the consequences after! Garbage disposals are a great way to dispose of small food waste materials, but there are still certain items that just don’t belong.

Here are some food items and other miscellaneous items that shouldn’t go down your garbage disposal:

• Stringy vegetables and fruits like celery, carrots, and onions.
• Starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, and rice.
• Oils and fats like vegetable oil, cooking grease, and animal fat.
• Animal bones (large or small).
• Other hard items like coffee grounds and eggshells.
• Paper and plastic items like paper towels or plastic wrappings.

When you and your family and friends prepare the holiday feast, try opting out of using the garbage disposal. Instead, sacrifice your trash can for your garbage disposal. If you just can’t resist using your garbage disposal and it breaks, contact your local plumber to come and take a quick look!

2. Check the Water Heater

Hot water is essential to just about all of your holiday tasks. This includes cooking, cleaning before and after guests arrive, and showers for yourself and your guests. Before any of your guests arrive for the big event, check to make sure your hot water heater is doing its job and providing enough hot water to your faucets.

If you haven’t checked your water heater in a while, we suggest scheduling an inspection and maintenance service ahead of time to avoid any hot water hiccups.

Once your guests arrive and everyone is settled in, before taking showers, alert guests to the 15-minute rule. The 15-minute is a general rule that means everyone should wait at least 15 minutes between taking baths and showers. This will give your hot water heater enough time to produce an adequate amount of water for all of the faucets and showers in your home.

3. Repair Leaky Faucets and Slow Draining Sinks

This is a big one! We know your guests mean a lot to you, but with so many people using your sinks, tubs, and showers, an already slow draining sink or a leaky faucet can turn into a much bigger problem. Leaks can cause a great deal of damage to your home and will end up costing you more than if you were to get it fixed as soon as you see it.

To find the source of the leak and fix it for good, we suggest contacting a plumber to inspect and repair the sink and faucet so that you can have a problem-free holiday!

Merry Plumbing Professionals at Meyers Companies, Inc.

We know that most plumbing problems don’t begin or end with these tips. If your home has plumbing issues you want to address this holiday season, you can give yourself the gift of a repair! Our team of plumbing professionals in Griffith, IN are here to help you find the source of your problem and fix it for you!

Contact us at (219) 924-1999 for more information about how we can help you have a holly-jolly holiday without plumbing issues!