Tis the season for family and friends to gather to celebrate the holidays together. After social distancing for the last couple of years, throughout America people are making plans to visit the homes of relatives or close comrades for a time of peace, feasting, and conversation.
Whether you are mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin, or neighbor, you may find that you will play host to some company at your home. That may mean decorating the house, setting the table for extra guests, tidying up the place, and preparing a meal plan.
With all of your planning, don’t forget to include the plumbing in your abode. With extra meal prep comes more running water and drained water in your kitchen. Also consider your bathroom plumbing too… family get-togethers can give the sink and the toilet quite a workout!
Here are a few quick tips to prepare your home’s plumbing for the holiday season:
- Update Your Fixtures: While this is not at all mandatory, new plumbing fixtures in your kitchen and bath can convert a boring space into a conversation piece! Test your faucets for leaks. If you want to update the look and fix any small leakage problems, a professional plumber can help remove the worries of trying to do it yourself the right way. We install kitchen faucets, bathroom sink faucets, plus bathtub and shower fixtures for customers all the time.
- Clean your dishwasher: More company means more dishes which means your dishwasher may be putting in some overtime. Be sure to check the filter and drain of your dishwasher according to your manufacturer’s instructions. Removing any food debris and soap scale can ensure adequate drainage and clean dishes every time.
- Drain your water heater: There’s nothing worse than running out of hot water. More than that,
sometimes we’ll find sediment within your hot water tank. Periodically draining your tank can remove
deposits and boost the efficiency of your water heater. - Check your drains: It is never a bad idea to check all of your drains to ensure that everything is flowing correctly. If there’s ever any question, and professional plumber from DRC Plumbing and Sewer can inspect your drainage systems. Don’t let food and other items clog your sinks. If you have a garbage disposal, remember to remind your guests that the disposal is NOT for that half-eaten turkey leg! Large food leftovers and garbage should be deposited in the trashcan, not the sink. Cleaning your garbage disposal with ice cubes and either a cut-up lemon or lime while running the water can remove any odors and ensure good drain flow.
- Test your toilets: How many times has a family member had to let you know that the toilet is backed up? It happens. Make sure you don’t have unflushable items in your bathroom to tempt the guests such as facial tissue or sanitary napkins. Just regular toilet paper should be the ONLY product that gets flushed down the toilet. However, have a toilet plunger (the kind with a flange in the center) just in case!
- Clean your gutters and downspouts: While this isn’t really a plumbing issue in most cases, it’s worth mentioning. Some homes have their gutters feed into downspouts which tie into underground PVC or corrugated plastic drain pipes to carry water out to the lawn, street, or retention pond. These can be blocked by leaves and other debris, so ensuring good water flow can avoid water spilling off the sides of your gutters onto the heads of your guests in case of rain.
- Check your thermostat: Many of us have been holding off on turning on our heat – especially with the unseasonably warm weather we have been experiencing in the Chicago area this year. However, don’t let your home get too cold… especially basements and crawl spaces. Anyway, your guests will appreciate a nice, cozy, and warm environment in which to mix and mingle.
- Insulate your pipes: Going along with making sure your home is nice and toasty, we also recommend
insulating your pipes. Outdoors, you can use a Styrofoam insulation unit over your outdoor
faucets/spigots. Inside, you can wrap your pipes with insulation material specifically designed for this
purpose. This will help to prevent freezing and will create a worry-free home while you enjoy family time.
DRC Plumbing and Sewer are the dependable, reliable, and courteous plumbers who can help you make the most of the holidays without worrying about your plumbing. Have a problem? Give us a call or contact us by clicking the link below to get a free estimate.