The holidays are just around the corner, which means your plumbing system is going to see a ton of action. From cooking wonderful meals to entertaining your friends and family with cocktails, you’ll be running things down the drain 24/7. That is–until something goes wrong.
Drains can undergo a lot of pressure during the holidays. From the risk of them freezing when temperatures drop to extremely low temperatures, to clogs that can hold up your holiday plans. There’s really no easy way to encounter a plumbing problem, unless you’ve got some tips on hand and a team of licensed professional plumbers to help you when things get rough.
So, this blog will be dedicated to three specific holiday plumbing tips that should carry you through the season successfully. And if they can’t, you can always call our team for plumbing service in Waverly, IA.
1. Use a Plunger or a Drain Snake When Necessary
Most people associate plungers with toilets, but in truth, they’re just equipment that’s designed for any drain. Toilet plungers are only supposed to be used for toilets, but there are sink plungers that are smaller and easier to use (plus, they’re usually available at your local hardware store). If you’ve got a drain clog, you can try to use a little bit of water and a sink plunger to push the clog out using pressure and a little bit of elbow grease.
If a plunger isn’t working, try a drain snake! These are also usually available at hardware stores, and they’re nifty little wires that can fit into your drain. When you pull them out, they’ll likely have grabbed onto various clogging materials and will pull them with it, dislodging a clog and making it easier for water to flow down the drain.
These two plumbing tools are essential for your home and they’ll help you in a pinch!
2. Keep Fats, Oils, and Greases in the Trash
Now, let’s move on to some preventative tips. Fats, oils, and grease (or FOG), is a list of substances that never belong in the drain. It might seem convenient to wash out that pan full of chicken or turkey grease, but it will wash down your drain as a liquid. Then it will solidify as it reaches the chilly interior of your pipe, allowing a clog to quickly form.
FOG can be tough to get out of your drain, so you’re better off stopping this stuff in the first place by throwing it in the trash.
3. Use a Mesh Screen
Are you having trouble with hair or other contaminants in your bathroom? Then try using a mesh screen.
These tools can easily catch contaminants like hair, food waste, or even toys and objects from heading into your drain. Then, when you’re doing some cleaning, you can just empty out the mesh screen and throw it in the dishwasher. It’ll keep things from ending up in your drain and causing clogs that you’d have to deal with later on.
At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Falls area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.