4 Plumbing Tips To Enjoy A Clog-Free Holiday

The holidays are a time for giving, spending time with loved ones, and enjoying the company of those around you.  Whether you’re hosting a dinner or just simply attending a holiday party as a guest, we hope the last thing you worry about is your home’s plumbing system.

Our expert technicians saw a lot of clogged drains and garbage disposals issues on Thanksgiving Day and ‘Black Friday’, so we’ve gathered a list to help you hopefully enjoy a clog-free holiday!

• Grease is the ‘bad guy’. If you plan on deep frying a turkey this year or cooking up some bacon, the grease should never end up down your drain.  Once the grease hits your drains and cools, it will instantly begin to clog up your drain and possibly ruin your disposal.
• Mesh screens are your drain’s life-saver. These small screens stop unwanted particles from going down your drain.  If you’re cooking in the kitchen, put a mesh screen in your sink and empty it once food particles get stuck.  Additionally, it’s also a great idea to put a screen in your bathtub or shower to stop hair from clogging up your drains as well.
• Your garbage disposal does not have ‘superpowers’. Your disposal is best used to discard small particles that end up down your drain, not all of your scraps from dinner prep or the meal itself.  We advise you to throw these items in the trashcan and NOT the garbage disposal:
  • Coffee grounds, meat, poultry, fish bones, egg shells, pasta, rice, breads, potatoes, apple peels, carrots, celery, asparagus, etc.
• Only flush toilet paper and human waste down your toilet. The majority of toilet clogs come from items that were flushed and can’t quite make it out of the pipes.  This includes: ‘flushable’ wipes (that actually aren’t flushable), feminine products, paper towels, cotton swabs, facial tissues etc. If you’re hosting your friends and family, make sure you have an available trashcan near the sink or toilet and consider putting up a sign in the restroom that says “TP ONLY”.

Every year around this time, we see an increase in clogged drains, backed up toilets, and broken garbage disposals.  While you can help your home’s plumbing system by following the steps above, we understand that things “just happen” and that’s why we’re here!  If you need us at any time, give us a call or schedule a service online and we’ll fix your plumbing issues so your holiday can go on uninterrupted.