Holiday Plumbing Care

Do you find the holidays stressful? So does your plumbing. The arrival of holiday guests means that the plumbing in your home will be used more often. Heavy use of your plumbing can cause problems like leaks, clogs and breakdowns. These issues can ruin your holidays, so we want you to be prepared and proactive. Following these tips can help you avoid plumbing problems this holiday season.

Keep Your Drains Clear

Slow drains can be a big problem when visitors come to your home. With extra people using your sinks and showers, slow drains can quickly become completely clogged. Clearing slow drains before your guests arrive can help you avoid disaster.

Many slow drains can be cleared with a plumber’s auger. To use a plumber’s auger to clear your drain, simply insert the cable into the drain and push it through the pipe until it encounters the clog. You can see an example of how to use a plumber’s auger here:

Inspect Your Water Heater Ahead of Time

Before your guests arrive, inspect your home’s water heater. Look for signs of corrosion, wetness on the outside of the tank, puddles of water, rust or signs of smoke. If there are signs of problems, contact a plumber before your guests arrive.

Take Care of Your Garbage Disposal

Big holiday meals can be especially hard on your garbage disposal. To make the task easier, clean out your garbage disposal and sharpen the blades. This task is relatively easy. Start by pouring vinegar and boiling water into the unit, then turn it on. This will help clear organic matter from the pipes and will help clean the interior of the appliance.

Next, try pouring some baking soda into the appliance and leave the baking soda there overnight. In the morning, pour vinegar over the baking soda and run the water in your faucet to clean out the disposal. Finally, pour ice into the disposal and run the garbage disposal with cold water. This will help sharpen the blades.

Establish Specific Times to Use Water-Hogging Appliances

Using all of your hot water hogging appliances at the same time can place a lot of stress on your hot water heater. To avoid problems, space out your use of appliances like the dishwasher and the washing machine. Schedule events like showers and baths throughout the day to avoid draining the hot water heater.

Contact Terry’s Plumbing

At Terry’s Plumbing, we’re committed to our customers in Pittsburgh. We want your holidays to go smoothly and your plumbing to work properly. If your drains are slow, your garbage disposal is on the fritz or your hot water heater is showing signs of deterioration, now is the time to give us a call. We can help. If you run into trouble at the holidays, we can help then too. We answer phones 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. You can reach us at (412) 364-9114.