How to Prevent Holiday Plumbing Problems

Holidays are happy times, as our homes are filled with loved ones, good food, and lots of laughter. However, the holidays can place unnecessary strain on our plumbing systems, due to the extra food, waste and inappropriate objects that are flushed down the drains. As with most things, preparation is key to successful holidays and to saving on your already limited post-holiday budget.

Here are some great tips to get you through the holidays without having to spend an arm and a leg on plumbing repairs:

1. 1. Learn to diagnose plumbing problems - Understanding how your plumbing system works will enable you to accurately diagnose and repair it, or to know when it is time to call a professional. It may be an idea to read up on the Anta Plumbing blog, which contains many great plumbing articles.

1. 1. Buy the right tools - Many plumbing issues can easily be repaired using basic tools and household supplies. The most important tool being a good plunger. Most clogs in the toilet, shower and sink can be unplugged using a plunger. The key to successful plunging lies in slowly compressing the plunger, before vigorously pulling it up. A drain snake is another good option. This bendy piece of steel can be maneuvered into the drain using a crank handle. Some drain snakes can be attached to power drills, reaching stubborn clogs deep down into your drain.

1. Avoid chemicals - Chemical drain cleaners can seem like a convenient alternative, but they can cause nasty burns when they shoot back up, or out of a new burst pipe.

Preventing Holiday Plumbing Problems

The best way to handle holiday plumbings is to avoid them in the first place. You can do this by:

• • Calling the professionals to do a pre-holiday inspection and a pipe flushing. They will run a video drain camera down all your sewer lines to look for clogs or leaks that may threaten to ruin your holiday with your loved ones. If repairs are needed, they will do that before flushing the pipes using high-pressure water jets.

• • Placing a trash can in each room and bathroom to avoid cotton buds, facial wipes, baby wipes, disposable diapers and other inappropriate items from making their way into the toilet.

• • Avoid throwing leftover food in the garbage disposal. Rather throw bones from meat in the rubbish bin, and vegetable peels, cornhusks, coffee grinds, and fruit pips into your compost heap.

• Collect cooking oil and grease in an old glass bottle and throw it into the bin when it is full instead of pouring it into the drains.

Sometimes, you need to know when you need a professional plumber to repair your issues while you play host to your family and friends. When a bigger, more complex issue is causing your plumbing to misbehave, it is time to call a professional plumber. Thankfully, Anta Plumbing, your friendly neighborhood plumbers, are on standby 24/7365. Call on us anytime and we will be there in a flash.