Fall is finally here, which means it won’t be all that long before the holiday season is upon us. The plumbing system in most homes ends up getting much more use during the holidays due to hosting parties, having guests and family stay over, etc. As such, it’s important that you take these basic steps to make sure all of your home’s plumbing works properly so that you don’t encounter any issues when your guests are over.
1. Inspect Your Plumbing for Drips and Leaks
Plumbing leaks can arise at any time, and it’s fairly common for a minor leak to quickly turn into a more serious problem. The last thing you want to have to suddenly deal with during the holidays is a major leak that forces you to shut off the water to your kitchen sink or another fixture. That’s why it’s a good idea to quickly check around all of your plumbing fixtures for any signs that they may be leaking. Things to look for include water spots, yellow or brown staining on sheetrock walls or ceilings and peeling wallpaper or bubbling paint.
You also want to check each of your faucets to make sure they aren’t dripping. When a faucet starts dripping, it generally indicates that an internal component like a seal, washer or valve has worn out. If you do see any drips, you definitely want to have a plumber check the faucet and replace the worn-out components before the holidays arrive. The reason is that if the faucet gets much more use than normal, there’s a chance that further damage can occur that prevents you from being able to turn off the faucet. Should this happen, your only option will again be to close the valves on the water lines that supply the faucet. If you didn’t shut the water off, the faucet would end up wasting between 60 and 130 gallons of water in just one hour.
2. Check for Drain and Sewer Line Issues
A clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom is also something you obviously don’t want to have to deal with during the holidays. An even worse situation is if your home’s sewer line ends up clogging. Not only will a clogged sewer line mean you can’t use your plumbing at all, but there’s also a high chance you’ll end up dealing with a sewage backup inside your house.
If you notice that any drains are slow, it’s a sign that the drain is partially blocked. In this case, you should hire a plumber to clean the drain or else there is a high chance it will get completely clogged and make it so that you can’t use that sink, shower or bathtub. What you shouldn’t do is try to fix the issue with drain cleaner. Not only is drain cleaner generally only a temporary fix, but it also has the potential to cause major damage to your plumbing and create a potential for the drain pipe to start leaking.
If all of the drains in your house are slow or they all make a strange gurgling sound as the water goes down, it indicates that there’s a partial blockage in your sewer line. In this case, it’s essential that you have your sewer inspected and cleaned so that you avoid the risk of a backup and having to deal with a huge, nasty mess. If your sewer line is partially clogged, there’s a much higher chance of it completely clogging if you have guests over for the holidays since they may flush wipes, feminine hygiene products or other things they shouldn’t. To help avoid the chances of your guests flushing anything they shouldn’t, you should also make sure you have a trash can right next to each toilet.
3. Put Strainers in Kitchen and Shower Drains
Another thing that can be a huge help in avoiding clogged drains is just to make sure each of your drains has a strainer. It’s especially important to have a strainer in your kitchen sink drain if you don’t have a garbage disposal since food scraps can quickly result in a clog. Having a drain strainer in your shower is also important since it will keep hair from going down the drain and potentially causing it to clog up.
4. Make Sure Your Toilets Flush Properly
It’s also a good idea to test all of your toilets to make sure they flush fully, especially whichever one your guests are most likely to use. All you need to do is put in some toilet paper and make sure everything goes down smoothly and in one flush. If a toilet is slow or doesn’t flush completely, it usually means that the internal trap in the toilet or the drain pipe it connects to is starting to clog. You may be able to easily fix the issue on your own by plunging the toilet. If that doesn’t work, you’ll want to make sure to have a plumber fix the issue before you plan on having guests. If you wait and the toilet ends up completely clogging, there’s always a risk it could end up overflowing.
5. Clean and Test Your Garbage Disposal
If you have a garbage disposal in your kitchen, you also want to make sure it’s ready to handle the additional workload it will often experience during holiday gatherings. That means running some food scraps through it to make sure everything quickly gets pulverized without the drain being slow. Cleaning the disposal can also help to prevent it from potentially clogging up and work to ensure the disposal and drain don’t smell bad.
One easy way to clean a garbage disposal is by just running ice cubes and salt through it since this helps to scour the insides of the unit and get rid of any stuck-on food particles. Vinegar and baking soda also work quite well for cleaning a garbage disposal and eliminating odor-causing bacteria. One last thing you might consider just before hosting a holiday party is to run a few pieces of lemon, lime or orange through the disposal so that it smells fresh.
6. Have Your Water Heater Flushed and Serviced
Every type of water heater should be professionally serviced every year so that it continues to work effectively. If you have a tank water heater, it’s also important that you have it flushed once or twice a year. Flushing is done to remove all of the sediment that forms in the tank and eventually leads to poor performance. If you plan on having guests staying over during the holidays, you definitely want to make sure you have a plumber inspect and service your water heater beforehand to ensure it can handle the increased hot water demands.
Baker & Sons Plumbing is a family-owned company that’s been serving Marion, IL, and the surrounding areas since 1986. We specialize in the entire range of plumbing, drain, sewer and septic services and have what it takes to ensure you avoid any issues this holiday season. Whether you’re dealing with a clogged drain, a leaky faucet or any other issues, you can trust us to quickly and expertly handle the problem. To schedule an appointment for any plumbing repair, maintenance or installation service, contact us today.
