If you’re going to have a full house this Thanksgiving weekend, you may want to do a few things first to make certain you don’t end up with Thanksgiving plumbing nightmares. There isn’t much worse than a plumbing disaster when you have guests. Five Star Plumbing is going to list some tips below to help you ensure your household plumbing works as it should over the four-day weekend. You should be celebrating and relaxing rather than plunging a drain or unclogging a toilet.
Clean the Drains
Before your guests arrive, clean all of your drains naturally with baking soda, white vinegar, and saltwater. You’ll need 1 cup each of the baking soda and vinegar for each drain, so buy big containers. Pour a cup of both the baking soda and vinegar down each and then pull the drain plug to stop the drains. You will hear the soda and vinegar bubbling inside the drain. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes and then rinse each drain thoroughly with boiling salt water. Use non-iodized salt.
Protect the Garbage Disposal
It’s tempting to shove food scraps down the garbage disposal to grind them up but this isn’t a good idea. The garbage disposal is only there for emergencies, i.e., food accidentally makes its way down the disposal. Rather, discard all food scraps in the trash and protect the garbage disposal by using a drain net. Thanksgiving foods in particular are hard on garbage disposals and household plumbing because they are starchy, fatty, and build up inside your pipe walls.
Replace the Water Heater
A definite plumbing nightmare is no hot water with a house full of guests. If your hot water heater is getting old, i.e., it is eight years old or older, you may end up with a dead heater that cannot keep up with the hot water demand. Signs your hot water heater is going bad include loud banging noises, lukewarm water, leaks, and constant cycling. If you have noticed any of these signs, your hot water heater might not make it through the Thanksgiving weekend.
Protect the Toilets
With a house full of guests, the toilets will be used practically non-stop. As such, it’s important to protect them. Remove items from the bathrooms that can clog toilets, such as facial tissue, paper towels, and baby wipes. Also, make certain to buy toilet paper that doesn’t clog the toilets, such as a single-ply brand. Finally, call us if you’ve been having problems with your toilets.
We are Five Star Plumbing in Castroville, TX, and we are here to help you with all of your plumbing needs. Call us today for an appointment.
