Christmas is similar to Thanksgiving in the fact that families and friends get together to share some precious time with each other. With so many people in the house and backed up from over eating, you don’t want to see your drain systems back up, too, right? Drain systems of households see more action during this time of the year than any other times.
Think about it. Your kitchen sink is constantly used for meal prep. The garbage disposal is overloaded with food scraps. And your toilet sees never ending flushing from so many people eating so much food. Arm yourself to avoid kitchen and bathroom drain cleaning nightmares this holiday season.
What to do in the kitchen
Do not let cooking oils and fats anywhere near the drains. While oils shouldn’t be dumped down a drain anyway, oils and fats solidify easier than ever with the cold temperatures of winter. Therefore, if you are not keen on calling a professional drain cleaner during the holidays, keep this warning in mind. Dispose of fats and oils properly in the trash bin.
Also, avoid dumping all food scraps down into the garbage disposal. Garbage disposals are meant to grind away small food bits, not entire leftovers. As much as possible, leave nothing on the plate before washing them. Leftover food on a plate should be thrown in the trash bin.
What to Do in the bathroom
If you have a lot of guests over for the holidays, have everyone enjoy a warm shower by encouraging them to spread showering 15 minutes apart. By doing so, guests can enjoy a warm shower instead of a moderately warm one.
Keep a plunger on hand. With so many people over-eating and then doing their natural duty in the bathroom, it’s only a matter of time before you have a clogged sink.
In case of a backed up toilet or sink, be sure to know be sure to know where your main stop valve is located so that in case of emergency you could easily get to it and stop further water flow.
Because of winter’s cold temperatures, remember to cover exposed pipes and storage tanks to avoid freezing. When pipes freeze, they are prone to bursting. Talk about a mess! For pipelines outdoors, be sure to insulate them to protect them from harsh winter temperatures.