The Christmas holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about an unexpected plumbing emergency!
But there are some simple plumbing tips that you can apply to your home to give you some peace of mind.
Read below for our opinions on the actions you can take to ensure that you do all you can to avoid an unexpected plumbing problem this Christmas!
Dispose Of Your Leftovers Properly
Christmas Dinner almost always universally comes with a whole host of leftovers. Chicken bones, turkey carcusses, leftover sprouts and more. If you are not careful when cleaning up your plates and disposing of this food, you can contribute to your own unexpected plumbing problem.
Ensure that, before putting plates in the dishwasher, you scrape the excess food and gravy into your food waste bins. This stops unwanted pieces of carrot or turkey from blocking up your dishwasher. Nobody wants to have to get on their hands and knees to remove leftover brussels from the pipes after stuffing their face all day!
Another alternative that can help prevent your sink from becoming blocked is a sink basket or strainer. These are small metal trays that go over your sink holes. They act as a filter to only allow water through, subsequently collecting any stray pieces of food that could flow down the sink and contribute to your blockage. You can pick one of these up for a reasonable price at Amazon or other online sites
Don’t Dump Your Leftover Grease Down The Drain
With Christmas turkeys, roast potatoes and other greasy foods being the staple of the dinner platter this holiday season, it brings plenty of waste oil and grease that requires disposal. Often people do not think twice about pouring fat down the drain. Whether that be from the turkey tray or roast potato grease.
There is a very simple plumbing tip that you need to follow. Don’t ever pour it down the drain!
Hot grease or fat, once poured down the sink, will harden once it cools down. This will then cause build ups and clog your drain. These blockages are definitely an unexpected plumbing problem that can make an already stressful time of the year that little bit worse.
Instead of disposing of this fat down the drain, apply that little bit of finesse. If you have any spare plastic containers lying around, perhaps old packaging left over from the dinner, pour the fat into these instead. Then you can dispose of the grease or fat into the bin, giving your drains a sigh of relief. This may be slightly more effort, but it is much easier than having to call out an emergency plumber on boxing day for sure!<
Ensure The Plumbing On Your Property Is Well Maintained
Often the holiday period brings a variety of guests into your home. Inevitably that often means more people using toilets, sinks, showers and even more uses of the dishwasher. Keeping organised and making sure that any issues are remedied before the 25th, will likely help you to avoid a plumbing disaster this christmas.
Any leaks and drips from toilets or taps should be fixed ahead of time to avoid them degrading and possibly breaking on the day. You also need to check that everything flushes and drains away quickly, so that you know there is no chance a larger blockage can cause a problem on the day. Any issues should definitely be sorted ahead of schedule.
Another preventative maintenance you need to consider is getting your boiler serviced regularly. A yearly boiler service spots problems early and can help you to avoid costly breakdown repairs and chilly guests on Christmas day evening! Read more about getting your boiler serviced here.
Have An Emergency Plumbers Number To Hand
Sometimes there are occasions where no amount of preparation can prevent a plumbing disaster from occurring. From burst pipes to dishwasher malfunctions, you cannot prevent every disaster with regular maintenance unfortunately. In these instances it is vital that you know the right tradesmen to call.
You will therefore need to do a number of checks to ensure that you know the best plumber to call. These checks include:
- Their Service Hours
- Check the plumber works during the festive periods. Make sure you know the hours they will work on these days and how much they will charge you for out of hours works!
- Their Location – Ensure you know how close they are to your property. The closer they are, often the quicker they can respond when you need them! Services They Provide – Ensure that you look at the plumbers services carefully. In a rush this can be overlooked. So ensure you do your research beforehand!
Therefore it is vital you pick the trader you use carefully and do your diligent research. You can use platforms such as InfoBest to research the available plumbers local to you. For people living in the Essex area, ensure you save our number handy, to have an experienced plumber in Essex fix your plumbing emergency this Christmas!
Prevent Frozen Pipes With Insulation
Christmas brings with it cold weather, meaning that this time of the year frozen pipes tend to become a big problem. These can lead to seized up water supplies, leaving you with no water, and even burst pipes.
As the water freezes it expands, creating pressure on the inside of your pipes. This can often lead to cracks and bursts in your pipes. Once the ice has thawed out it can lead to major leaks that can cause huge destruction on your property. Definitely a party pooper over the holidays, if there ever was one!
A very simple plumbing tip for christmas involves applying insulation to your pipes. You can purchase these at a range of homecare stores such as Screwfix and they are very easy to apply yourself. They protect the pipes that are exposed to the cold on the exterior of your property, minimising the chance of freezing.
Another tip if you are leaving home over Christmas would be to turn off your water supply and leave your heating on a low setting. This can help to limit the amount of water that could freeze along your pipelines.
To Conclude Our Simple Plumbing Tips…
<p>So there you have our top simple plumbing tips that everyone can easily apply to their homes this year in time for Christmas.</p>
If you require any plumbing services before then, or you just want a reliable plumbers number in your contacts, give our website a look. Let Into Plumbing and Heating take care of your plumbing needs for the holidays!
