As the holidays approach, it means that you will be cooking a lot. The more you cook means that your kitchen drains in your Southwest Florida home could be at risk of clogging. An unexpected drain emergency could cost a lot of money to fix, and it also makes it an unpleasant experience for your guest. Here’s how to avoid clogged drains during the holidays:
Protect Your Drains: You will want to protect your drains by avoiding food scraps from going down your drain. Use a drain strainer in your kitchen sink, it helps keeps food out your drain. Always pour cooking oil in a sealable container, so that you can throw it in the trash. Another way to keep the drains clog-free is by pouring hot water down the drain once a week. The hot water melts away any fat or grease that may have collected in your pipes. If you do have a clogged sink, pour about ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup white vinegar down the drain. Put a drain stopper over the drain to force the solution down the drain and wait for about five minutes for the solution to work. If you continue to experience clogged drains in your home, we recommend that you call a licensed plumber who has experience with removing tough clogs.
Watch What Goes into your Garbage Disposal: You should use your garbage disposal cautiously, especially around the holidays. Make sure that the food that you put in the garbage disposal is broken down into small manageable pieces. Also, use cold water to rinse the food down the garbage disposal. Using cold water while using your garbage disposal helps push any larger particles down the drain and prevents clogs. Avoid putting coffee grounds, fruit pits, rice, and pasta into the disposal, using these substances can create blockages.
Only Flush Toilet Paper: When caring for your drains, you want to make sure that you prevent bathroom emergencies during the holidays. Be sure to tell your guest to only flush toilet paper down the toilet, and any other trash can be disposed of in the trash can. If you have young children in your house, keep the bathroom doors closed to discourage them from playing inside the bathroom. It’s not uncommon for plumbers to get called to remove a stuck toy from the toilet.
Cover the Shower Drains: When you have a lot of guest in your house for the holidays, the number of showers and baths will increase. The more people that use the shower, chances are that hair will enter your drains. You’ll want to get drain covers in each bathroom. Drain covers will catch any hair that washes down into the drain, along with anything else that might accidentally drop. Remember to empty drain covers often to allow proper drainage.
Keep a Plunger Handy: Having to deal with a clogged toilet is one of the worst feelings. You can be prepared by having a plunger handy in all your bathrooms. If you find that your toilets are becoming clogged too easy, it could be a sign of a blockage in the sewer line, it can also mean that your toilets are old and don’t have the power to flush anymore. If this is the case, then we suggest that you contact a professional plumber to inspect your sewer lines and toilets.
Check for Problems: Safeguard your drains by inspecting your pipes for any cracks and small leaks that might otherwise go unnoticed. If you suspect damage to your pipes or see a water leak, this could be a sign that you need plumbing repair.
When you have guests coming to your home during the holidays, you want all your plumbing to be in the best working condition. If you recently suspected a leaky pipe, or you have constant clogging in your drains. It could be a sign that your plumbing is outdated or needs professional attention. If you need to replace your drains or pipes and prefer monthly payments, Ygrene financing is your solution. Ygrene financing offers 100% accessible funding on energy-efficient home improvement projects with no money down and no payments until 2021. BHS is proud to be the only Ygrene elite contractor in Southwest Florida. If your drains or plumbing need to be serviced, please schedule a maintenance appointment with the professionals at BHS, by calling (239) 291-0860 BHS is proud to be the leading air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing company of Southwest Florida since 1980.