A house full of holiday guests can easily lead to a plumbing emergency. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, plumbers usually see an increase in business and local company, Frank’s Plumbing and Heating, is no different.
Nick Tuttle, owner of Frank’s Plumbing and Heating, said he and his crew get more calls for remodels and maintenance leading up to the holidays than any other time of the year.
“It seems some of our customers like to have a new bathroom before the family comes over for Thanksgiving or just to give themselves their dream bathroom for Christmas,” he said. “There is an increase in service work throughout the winter and holidays — water heaters, furnaces and plumbing systems all have to work a little harder due to temperatures lowering and heavier usage by friends and family.”
Tuttle said routine service is his best recommendation for keeping everything working properly.
“We offer spring and winter check-ups for plumbing and heating and air systems in hopes that we can catch any issues while they are still small issues,” he said. “This way we can give the homeowners detailed information on what we see and recommendations for repair.”
By taking a few precautions, holiday hosts can help avoid costly plumbing repairs. Here are some tips from the Roto-Rooter Plumbing and Drain Service website to help keep things running smoothly this holiday season:
In the kitchen:
Do not wash potato peels, onion skins, celery and shrimp shells down the kitchen disposal.
Avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain because fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. Wipe congealed grease from pots and pans and dispose of in the trash.
Run cold water down the drain for about 15 seconds before and after using the garbage disposal in order to flush waste down the main line.
Make sure the disposal is running when you put food debris into it. Don’t wait until it’s full to turn it on.
In the bathroom:
Spread out showers throughout the day; do not take one right after another.
Provide a trash bin in the bathroom so the toilet isn’t used as a garbage can. Never flush cotton swabs, cotton balls, hair, facial scrub pads or similar items down a toilet. These items will not easily dissolve and they are responsible for most clogs.
If your drains are running slowly, treat them with retail drain cleaning products long before company arrives.
If you need a plumber, don’t wait until the holidays to call. You’ll get faster service and pay less if you call before the holiday.
