The holiday season is a time for gathering with friends and family, enjoying festive meals, and making cherished memories. However, with all the extra activity in your home, your plumbing system can face significant stress. At U.S. Plumbing, we want to help you identify and prevent the most common plumbing problems that occur during the holidays so you can focus on the celebrations.
- Clogged Drains from Kitchen Overuse
The Problem: Holiday feasts often mean increased food preparation and cleanup. Grease, food scraps, and coffee grounds can easily clog your kitchen sink.
Prevention Tips:
- Never pour grease or oil down the drain. Instead, dispose of it in a container and throw it in the trash.
- Use a drain screen to catch food particles.
- Run cold water while using the garbage disposal to help flush debris.
- Overloaded Garbage Disposal
The Problem: With the holiday rush, it’s tempting to throw everything into the garbage disposal, but this can cause jams or even burn out the motor.
Prevention Tips:
- Avoid grinding fibrous foods like celery, potato peels, and onion skins.
- Cut large food scraps into smaller pieces before disposal.
- Run the disposal regularly to keep it in good working order.
- Guest Bathroom Overload
The Problem: Extra guests can put a strain on your toilets, sinks, and showers, leading to clogs and slow drains.
Prevention Tips:
- Place a trash can in the bathroom to discourage guests from flushing non-flushable items.
- Keep a plunger handy for quick fixes.
- Encourage guests to wait a few minutes between showers to avoid overloading the water heater and plumbing system.
- Water Heater Struggles
The Problem: With more people showering and washing hands, your water heater may struggle to keep up, leaving someone with a cold shower.
Prevention Tips:
- Turn up the water heater slightly (but not above 120°F) to meet increased demand.
- Schedule showers at intervals to allow the water heater time to recover.
- Consider upgrading to a tankless water heater for continuous hot water during peak times.
- Frozen Pipes
The Problem: If you live in a colder area, freezing temperatures during the holidays can lead to burst pipes and water damage.
Prevention Tips:
- Insulate exposed pipes in attics, basements, and garages.
- Let faucets drip during freezing weather to keep water flowing.
- Open cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.
Call U.S. Plumbing for Fast, Reliable Holiday Plumbing Services
If a plumbing problem does arise, don’t let it ruin your holiday spirit. U.S. Plumbing is here to help with expert repairs and preventative maintenance. Our team is available to handle emergencies quickly, so you can get back to what matters most—spending time with loved ones.
Contact U.S. Plumbing today to schedule a service or to learn more about how we can keep your plumbing system running smoothly throughout the holidays.
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