HOLIDAY PLUMBING TIPS

Whether you realize it or not, you’re putting a lot of strain on your plumbing during the holidays. All the oils, fats, and skins that go down your drain build up, and before you know it, you’re frantically calling your trusted Stephens Plumbing and Heating professional to work their magic on your suffering plumbing.

With a little help from Consumer Reports, we’ve compiled the best practices to go clog-free this holiday season:

GARBAGE DISPOSAL TIPS

• Empty Your Garbage Disposal: Start fresh! More than likely, you’re preparing more food during the holidays than you would on a regular basis, meaning you’re also disposing of more food as well. Empty your garbage disposal before you start cooking to avoid clogging.
• Run Your Garbage Disposal While Disposing: To avoid food and grease clogging, turn your garbage disposal on while disposing of the food.
• Spare Your Garbage Disposal: We know it’s convenient to drop poultry skin and potato peels in your garbage disposal versus having them pile up with all the other bits and pieces of food you’ve thrown in your garbage can. However, the texture of fibrous, stringy, or starchy waste clings to the blades and slows or halts the motor. If you must drop these in your garbage disposal, be sure to dispose in small quantities and run cold water down your drain the entire time.

LEAKY FAUCET? DON'T ANNOY YOUR HOLIDAY GUESTS. SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT.

OTHER TIPS

• Collect Fats, Greases, and Oils: Protect your drain by collecting and disposing of these clog-prone cooking elements. Let fats solidify and chill grease in the freezer, then throw them in your garbage can. For those that don’t solidify, house them in a sealable container and throw the entire container away.
• Give Your Drains Time to Drain: If you’re constantly running water, especially from your kitchen and bathroom, you’re probably not giving your drain enough time to complete its job. Use water in the kitchen when necessary (when you’re using your garbage disposal) and ask weekend guests to wait at least 10 minutes between showers.
• Respect Your Toilet: To put it simply, don’t flush things that aren’t supposed to be flushed – even if your garbage can and garbage disposal is full. This includes fats, greases, and oils, as well as paper towels, cotton balls/swabs, and even certain bathroom/baby wipes (as some are not very degradable and are causing major clogging and backups.)

If all else fails, be sure to give us a call and we’ll take care of all your plumbing needs.

Happy Holidays from your friends at Stephens Plumbing!