Nothing can put your home plumbing system through the wringer like a holiday season full of family, friends, and guests. With the Christmas season right around the corner, your household plumbing may fare better with the coming onslaught of get-togethers if you have a better idea of what to expect. We’ve compiled a list of the most common holiday plumbing problems you should be on the lookout for this season.
The Top Causes of Holiday Season Plumbing Issues
Does it seem like all your plumbing problems strike at the same time each year? If plumbing woes have you stressed and worried, now is the time to work with your local plumbing team to get your home ready so you can avoid plumbing problems this holiday season. Hosting family means ensuring your guest have access to operational plumbing. The holiday season isn’t the reason there’s an increase in plumbing woes this time of year. The problem comes from the increased usage, which exacerbates existing problems. Your plumbing system can be easy to ignore when everything is going well. You can avoid many of the most common plumbing problems by simply scheduling seasonal maintenance for your system before the onslaught of holiday traffic hits your home.
In the meantime, we’ve compiled a shortlist of the most common plumbing issues seen during the holiday season.
Clogged Drains
Clogged sinks and shower drains in your bathroom are common holiday problems. When not properly addressed, a clog can lead to significant repairs. Needing repairs during the holiday season can seem like the worst possible way to spend your money. Money set aside for gifts and meals is suddenly being used for plumbing repairs and pipe replacement. You can avoid these types of problems by taking preemptive action. Don’t wait for a current problem to become worse. If you’re already dealing with a slow drain, contact your local plumber for an inspection before inviting guests over. More users will exacerbate your current plumbing headaches. Being proactive in this instance means having your drains cleaned before your guests arrive.
Kitchen sink clogs are typically caused by holiday cuisine. If you put fat, grease, and oil down your sink in small amounts during the year, you can expect that increasing this bad habit will lead to serious clogs during the holiday months. Fats and grease congeal in your pipes and prevent water from passing through your system freely. Depending on the severity of your blockage, changing your plumbing practices now may be enough to prevent a holiday plumbing backup. Putting these materials down your sink once or twice won’t cause problems, but if you are continually practicing poor kitchen sink habits, the holiday season will lead to drain blockages and backups.
Sewage Backups
When sewage backs up into your sinks or toilets, it’s a serious plumbing and safety issue. Unfortunately, the holiday season is prime time for many of these plumbing issues. Sewage backups are typically caused by clogged drains due to blockages in the plumbing line. The key to stopping this problem before it gets out of control is bringing in help early in the plumbing process. At the first toilet or sink gurgle or bubble, you want to call for a plumbing inspection. These are typically the first signs of a blockage. The noises you hear when there’s gurgling and bubbling in your line is air trying to move around a blockage. While it may be challenging for your local plumber to find the blockage in the line, it’s better to start now before your pipe is completely blocked.
If you schedule drain cleaning early as part of your plumbing maintenance process, you can save time and money. While you don’t know the severity or extent of your sewer problem or blockage, cleaning your drains can serve as a reset for your system. This can be a clean slate for your plumbing and give you the opportunity to create a prevention plan going forward. You can protect your plumbing in the future by practicing smart draining. There are certain items that should never be placed in your drain, like dental floss, sanitary napkins, and diapers. Sometimes these items are labeled as flushable items, but it’s best not to allow them down your drain.
Don’t wait for a Christmas Day plumbing surprise caused by increased usage. By being proactive, you can ensure you aren’t left trying to navigate plumbing emergencies this holiday season. Call us today at (909) 552-7550 to schedule an appointment today!