Entertaining for the holidays? Are family members arriving for a visit? Are you planning a Christmas get-together with friends?
As the holidays can be somewhat stressful, you don’t need a plumbing incident wreaking havoc on your fun.
Check your plumbing and take action now on anything that needs to be done such as fixing a small leak before it becomes a bigger one. If you’ve been hankering after a new faucet or showerhead, now is the time to have it installed. Call it an early Christmas present.
Holiday entertaining means more cooking and baking. Keep grease out of the drains before it has a chance to plug the drain pipe and prevent any further use of the sink until it is unplugged.
Hot grease will solidify in a cold drain pipe and depending on how warm you keep your house, it will also solidify at room temperature. That makes it easier to collect and dispose of.
Add a drain screen to the kitchen sink to catch any bits of food bits and other debris before it becomes a problem.
Professional kitchens such as restaurants will need to schedule a grease trap pump out and cleaning before the holidays to ensure a trouble-free season.
Extra people for the holidays increases the use of washroom facilities. Make sure non-flushable items such as wipes, makeup remover pads, and dental floss are placed in the garbage otherwise the toilet is at risk of clogging. It’s a good idea to make it a ‘toilet paper only’ zone all year round.
If you live in the country or plan on spending Christmas at the cottage, schedule a pump out of the septic system. Septic systems need to be pumped out regularly to make sure it is functioning properly. How often depends on the number of people in the household and whether it is used as a seasonal dwelling or permanent residence.
Check all the sewage pumps, sump pumps, and water pumps to make sure they are operating correctly.
City residents should check the sump pump and any other pumps that might be in the house.
Has anything been forgotten in the seasonal switchover from fall to winter? Is the garden hose disconnected from the outside tap? Was the inside water line leading to the outside tap closed off? Don’t forget to make sure the outside tap is left open so that any water left in the line can expand when it freezes.
Is there anything else that is at risk of freezing? Temperatures are unpredictable at this time of year. Plumbtech always receives emergency calls when temperatures dip below zero for several days.
Older homes such as farmhouses may have plumbing pipes located on an outside wall. Pipes on outside walls will freeze. Water lines and drains leading to a kitchen sink or bathroom vanity have no access to warmth inside a cupboard. Leave the door ajar to allow heat in during severe cold weather.
Pipes and drains that go through a crawl space may not be insulated properly either. They too will freeze if severe cold continues for several days. Wind chill on outside walls makes temperatures colder.
City residents should also know where the curb stop is in case of a plumbing emergency. The curb stop shuts off the flow of water to the whole house. It’s necessary particularly if the main shut-off inside the house fails.
A little prevention can go a long way but if the worst should happen, Plumbtech Plumbing is only a phone call away. The Barrie company maintains a 24-hour emergency service, even during the holidays.
