It’s always hard to believe when the holidays sneak up on us, but it is indeed that time of year again. It may seem like we were just dusting off the BBQ for the summer, but now we’re ordering turkeys and checking those Black Friday lists twice. There’s one holiday checklist item that might be easily overlooked, however, especially if you have family and friends staying with you, and that’s making sure your plumbing is ready for the holidays while your pipes are under more stress. Our Central Coast plumbers have come up with a list of holiday plumbing tips to make sure there are no surprises this season and those long winter naps aren’t disrupted by a plumbing disaster.
Careful with the Disposal
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: The garbage disposal is not meant for, well, garbage! You can’t just jam anything down there without it potentially coming back to haunt you at some point. With the increased usage in the kitchen for all those holiday meals and gatherings, backed-up pipes would be less than ideal.
Here are some holiday dinner foods that you should never put down your garbage disposal: gravy, grease or cooking oil, potato peels, onion skins, bones, eggshells, celery stalks, and fruit pits (from all those delicious fruit pies you are surely enjoying).
Prepare the Bathroom
A clogged toilet is not only a pain in the you-know-what, but it can also be an embarrassing moment for your guests. To help prevent your plunger from working overtime, keep a wastebasket in the bathroom to deter folks from tossing just anything down the toilet. Wet wipes are always a common culprit whose final destination should be in the trash not the toilet bowl.
Sometimes it just happens, though, and for those unfortunate moments make sure there’s a plunger kept in the bathroom so nobody’s the wiser. Keeping it under the sink is always an inconspicuous spot so it doesn’t create an eyesore.
Inspect your Water Heater
For the Clark Griswolds out there, a full house for the holidays can mean a lot of things, so make sure cold showers on a crisp winter morning aren’t one of them. If grandma, grandpa, and Cousin Eddie are all bunking at your place for the season, your water heater is going to get one heck of a workout.
Before guests arrive, consider turning your water heater up to increase its capacity; just make sure you don’t exceed 120 degrees – you don’t want to scald any of your guests! Also, you may want to give it an inspection to make sure it’s in tip-top shape. You can read all about water-heaters here.
Finally, if your water heater has been around for more holiday shenanigans than you care to remember, it might be time for an upgrade. On-demand tankless water heaters are perfect for making sure all your guests get a chance at a steamy, hot shower.
Of course, if you do have any unforeseen plumbing mishaps, Griffin Plumbing’s emergency services are here for you to make sure your holiday festivities aren’t dampened for long. For more holiday plumbing tips or to let the pros inspect your house for the holiday, our friendly Central Coast plumbers are always a call or click away.
