As the holiday season approaches, many of us prepare to open our homes to friends and family. While the celebrations bring joy and togetherness, they also put extra stress on household systems—especially the plumbing. With more people in your home, kitchen and bathroom drains are used more frequently, which can easily lead to annoying clogs.
The last thing anyone wants during the holidays is to deal with a backed-up sink or a flooded bathroom. Fortunately, with some preparation and mindful use, you can avoid these plumbing disasters.
Mind Your Kitchen Sink During Meal Prep
One of the biggest culprits of holiday plumbing problems is the kitchen drain. With so many big meals being prepared, it’s easy to accidentally send food waste down the drain. But certain foods are notorious for causing clogs. Here are a few things to be cautious about:
- Grease and oil: After cooking, you might be tempted to pour excess grease or oil down the drain. However, grease solidifies as it cools, creating a sticky coating inside your pipes. Over time, it traps food particles and debris, forming a clog. Instead of pouring grease down the drain, collect it in a jar or container and dispose of it in the trash once it’s cooled.
- Starchy and fibrous foods: Potato peels, rice, pasta, and fibrous vegetables like celery can swell or tangle in your pipes, leading to blockages. If you’re peeling potatoes or vegetables, scrape them into the trash or compost rather than the garbage disposal.
- Coffee grounds and eggshells: These small particles don’t dissolve or break down easily. Over time, they can accumulate in the pipes and form stubborn clogs. Dispose of coffee grounds and eggshells in the trash or compost bin.
Use the Garbage Disposal Wisely
Many people mistakenly think their garbage disposal can handle food waste, but this isn’t the case. While garbage disposals are designed to break down soft foods, they still need to be treated with care:
- Run cold water: Always run cold water while using the garbage disposal, both during and after grinding food. Cold water helps solidify grease or fat, allowing it to be broken down and flushed away more quickly.
- Avoid grinding large amounts at once: Instead of overloading your disposal with food waste all at once, feed smaller amounts gradually. This helps the disposal break everything down without getting overwhelmed.
- Clean the disposal regularly: To keep your garbage disposal working efficiently, clean it regularly. You can use ice cubes and salt to scrub the blades or grind a few lemon peels for a fresh scent.
Be Kind to Bathroom Drains
During the holiday season, bathroom drains also see a lot of use, especially if you have guests staying over. To avoid clogs in your bathroom sinks, showers, and toilets, follow these tips:
- Install drain covers: Hair, soap scum, and other debris are the leading causes of bathroom clogs. Installing a simple drain cover in your sinks and showers can catch most of these materials before they go down the drain, making cleaning easier.
- Limit what goes down the toilet: Toilets are not trash cans. Aside from toilet paper, nothing else should be flushed, including wipes labeled “flushable,” feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, or paper towels. These items don’t break down easily and can create severe clogs in your plumbing system.
- Run hot water through drains: After a lot of activity in the bathroom, run hot water down the sink and shower drains to help flush away any buildup of soap scum, hair, or oils.
Get Preventative Plumbing Maintenance
The holidays are a busy time, but they’re also a good opportunity to schedule preventative plumbing maintenance. Having a professional inspect your plumbing system before hosting large gatherings can help you avoid unexpected issues. A plumber can identify early signs of drain clogs or slow drains and take steps to clear them before they turn into a bigger problem.
Routine maintenance, such as clearing drain pipes or servicing your garbage disposal, can relieve stress during the holiday rush. Preventative care is the key to keeping your plumbing system in good working order and ready for holiday activities.
Know When to Call a Plumber
Even with the best intentions, clogs can sometimes happen, especially when your drains work overtime during the holidays. If you notice slow drainage or gurgling sounds from your sinks or have already tried DIY solutions with no success, it may be time to call a plumber for professional drain clearing services. Getting professional help from Biard & Crockett early can prevent a minor clog from turning into a major plumbing emergency. Enjoy your gatherings without the stress of plumbing problems—and if you do need assistance, Biard & Crockett is just a call away at(714) 602-1299! Keep your plumbing flowing smoothly this holiday season!