plumbing tips for the holidaysMany people take time over the holidays to entertain, have large groups of people over, cook big meals, and use their plumbing much more than they might normally. Having a plumbing emergency at this time of year is a big hassle, not just because it gets in the way of your plans and inconveniences your guests, but because getting a hold of a plumber during the holidays can be a challenge. Preventing holiday plumbing disasters before they happen is a wise idea to save you some stress. Here’s what you can do to be sure that your plumbing is ready for the busy season.

Prepare the Bathroom

Many holiday plumbing mishaps happen because guests don’t know the ins and outs of your specific bathroom. If you have a slow-draining toilet, for example, guests may try to flush multiple times. Or, if there is no garbage receptacle nearby, they may try to flush things down the toilet that don’t go there. To prepare your bathroom, we suggest you do the following:

  • Fix low-flow issues: It might be a clog waiting to happen, so get your plumber in before there’s a mess.
  • Fix handle issues: You may be used to using a toilet handle that gets stuck or falls off, but your guests aren’t. To avoid potential embarrassment, fix the handle now, so it’s simple to use.
  • Provide a garbage bin: Especially if you are having female guests, a garbage bin is a necessity.
  • Add hand towels and festive soap: Fresh hand towels will encourage proper handwashing. Festive soap is just fun!

Ready the Sinks and Drains

Every sink, from the kitchen to the bathroom, will be used more when you have guests over. Here is how you can prepare the kitchen sink:

  • Check on the garbage disposal: Is it working properly? You’ll likely need it when you’re preparing your holiday feast.
  • Remind yourself of sink disposal rules: Putting starches, oils and greases down the kitchen sink is liable to make a clog. Be sure you have a plan to dispose of much more of these foods than normal. We suggest having disposable containers to hold things like turkey grease, corn on the cob skin, and potato peels. Then all you have to do is toss the container into your garbage.

Here’s how you can prepare the bathroom sink and shower drain:

  • Add a hair trap: Hair traps are always useful, but they can be especially helpful when you have multiple guests showering back-to-back. That extra hair might just overwhelm a drain that was functioning normally.
  • Fix slow-drain issues: Sinks and showers that drain slowly are potentially partially clogged. In order to prevent a full clog over the holidays, it is wise to get them fixed now.

Prevent Water Heater Woes

How many people will be showering in your house come morning? Even if you have two overnight guests, their showers could stress your hot water supply such that everyone else has to have a cold one. If you were considering upgrading to a tankless water heater anyway, now might be the perfect time to do it. With an endless supply of hot water, you and your guests can all have hot showers.