As Thanksgiving approaches, many homeowners focus on preparing a delicious feast and creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere for guests. One area that is sometimes forgotten is the plumbing system, which can be put under additional strain over the holiday season. With extra cooking, dishwashing, and people using your restrooms, your plumbing can quickly get overloaded, resulting in clogs, leaks, and other problems. Read on to learn more.
Garbage Disposal Rules
Garbage disposals are helpful kitchen tools, but they are not intended to handle everything. Avoid throwing vegetables such as celery, onion skins, and potato peels down the disposal. These can become entangled in the blades, causing them to clog or slow down. Similarly, starchy meals like pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes swell with water, causing clogs deeper in your pipes.
Grease, oils, and fats should never be dumped into the garbage. While they may go down easily at first, they solidify when they cool. Instead, let the grease cool before disposing of it. Eggshells and coffee grounds are two more things that might not seem harmful but can build up sludge over time.
Make sure you use cold water when you run your garbage disposal. Oil turns solid in cold water, so it can be broken up and flushed down the pipes properly. After using the disposal, continue to run cold water for around 15 seconds to ensure that any remaining debris is completely removed from the system. Grind small pieces of ice and citrus peels to help remove buildup and keep your kitchen smelling fresh. Finally, resist the urge to overburden your disposal. Split food waste into smaller amounts to keep the motor from getting too tired or the blades from getting dull.
Prep Your Plumbing System To Handle Large Groups
Having a lot of people over for Thanksgiving puts more stress on your pipes. Checking your pipes before the event is one of the best ways to get ready. Check for strange noises, slow drains, and small leaks. These seemingly minor faults can easily worsen when your system is under more stress, so address them before your guests come.
Your toilets will be used more than usual, so make sure they work properly. Check for evidence of leakage around the base and make sure the flushing mechanism is working correctly. If the toilet is slow or doesn’t refill quickly, it could mean that there is a blockage or a problem with the water source. In the same way, sinks in the kitchen and toilet should quickly and completely drain. If your drains are moving slowly, try a natural drain cleaner or give us a call so we can fix the problem.
To keep your drains flowing freely during the holiday, run hot water down the drain regularly, especially after washing dishes or using the garbage disposal. This helps to flush out any small particles or grease before they have a chance to build up. You can also use baking soda, vinegar and hot water as a natural way to clean your drains. This combination will help deodorize your pipes as well so they won’t smell.
If you have a septic system, consider having it inspected or pumped before hosting a large party. Septic tanks can overflow due to increased water demand from showers, dishwashing, and toilet flushes. A short inspection might give you peace of mind and prevent a costly backup during the holidays. Finally, consider installing strainers in your shower and sink drains to remove hair, soap scum, and food particles that would otherwise cause clogs.
Check Your Water Heater
Your water heater needs to be able to handle everything, from hot showers for overnight guests to clean dishes all the time after meals. Before the busy holiday season, you should check and fix your water heater to make sure it’s working well. First, look at how the temperature is set. The area that works best is around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you raise it too high, you could burn your guests or put too much stress on the machine.
Also, if your water heater is older, you might want to flush it. Over time, silt builds up at the bottom of the tank. This makes the heater less effective, which causes your energy bills to go up. This silt is removed by flushing the tank, which also makes the heater work better and makes sure you have plenty of hot water when you need it. A lot of plumbers say you should do this once a year.
Making strange noises like banging or popping sounds from your water heater is another sign of sediment buildup or problems inside. Most of the time, these sounds mean that the unit is working harder than it should. If the unit is getting close to the end of its useful life, it may be time for a more thorough check or even a replacement. Also, look around the base of the water heater for any leaks.
Check Your Water Pressure
Water pressure is often overlooked until there’s a problem, but it plays a critical role in the overall performance of your plumbing system. Low water pressure can lead to slow-filling sinks, weak showers, and inefficient dishwashing, while high water pressure can burden your pipes leading to leaks.
To check your water pressure, use a basic pressure gauge that connects to a faucet or hose bib. For most households, the appropriate water pressure ranges from 40 to 60 psi. If the pressure falls below this level, it could be the result of a partially closed valve, silt accumulation in your pipes, or an issue with your municipal water supply. Low water pressure may also indicate a leak in your plumbing system, which should be rectified once. If your water pressure is too high, on the other hand, it can put too much stress on your lines and cause damage over time. A pressure valve, which is usually found near your water main, can help lower pressure that is too high. If you don’t have a regulator or if yours isn’t working right, you might want to have a professional install or fix it.
Professional Plumbing Maintenance
Professional plumbing maintenance is essential to keep your home’s plumbing system in good shape. Scheduling maintenance once a year can help you avoid expensive fixes and emergencies. Plumbing systems that are built to last can have problems like leaks, clogs, or pipe rust over time. A qualified plumber can find small problems before they get worse by inspecting your home regularly.
Having your plumbing checked once a year before Thanksgiving and Christmas can help keep your home’s water source healthy and safe. A plumber can clean out your lines, flush your water heater, look for leaks, and make sure your water pressure is right. These steps will not only make your pipes last longer, but they will also save you money on your energy and water bills.
Contact Us Today
By following these simple plumbing recommendations, you can have a stress-free Thanksgiving. To prepare your home for the holidays and beyond, contact Delta Mechanical. We can take care of your plumbing system and well as your water heater, gas line, and boiler systems.
