Drain & Plumbing Tips for Summer Long Weekends!

With graduations, long weekends and warmer days underway, BBQ and party season is going to be in full swing much sooner than you think! If you are in the middle of planning a holiday party, the last thing on your mind might be your drains, until a significant issue occurs. To prevent a problem down the road, early preparation can help. Not sure where to start? Here’s how to keep your drain health in mind this holiday weekend:

Scrape Those Plates

Not only will it make doing the dishes much easier, but your drains and plumbing will thank you in the process. When you place food-gunked plates into your sink, all that debris will end up down the drain. Even if you were under the impression that those food particles would slide down the drain — that’s not the case, ever. Especially when it’s related to greasy BBQ-foods. All that fat and oil might easily slip down the drain, at the start, but will eventually harden and stick to the side of your plumbing, causing a preventable clog. Instead, make sure all guests know to keep grease and fats out of the sinks by asking them to please scrape all cookware debris in the garbage.

Your Disposal is Not a Trash Can

Since there might be a lot of people coming and going through your home, you might want to skip the garbage disposal use altogether. For those not familiar with this trusted appliance, they might assume all food is good to go — but a holiday BBQ can increase poor practices for garbage disposal, especially from those guests that don’t have one in their own home. From chicken bones, corn husk, to celery, these things can leave you with a big break down. So, when in doubt, have your guest throw it out (and not down the drain). Check out this great article on the do’s and don’ts when it comes to garbage disposals.

Create a No Flush Rule

Don’t let the party stop due to an overflowing toilet. Make sure your bathroom is equipped with visible garbage can so only waste and toilet paper gets flushed down the “throne.” For extra protection, you can even create a cute sign asking your guest to only flush toilet paper.

Fix Issues Before the Party, NOT During...

A slow draining shower tub or laundry sink might be something you’ve been putting off — but fixing it now can prevent a significant emergency. These little signs could be your tipping point. Add extra guests, plus a bit of traffic, and that extra activity can result in a major back up. By getting your drain issues fixed now, you can prevent a house guest from the embarrassment of backed up system and save you the added expense of a major issue vs one that is easily solved with proper maintenance.

The Ice Maker Isn’t Working

One of the most common reasons an ice maker stops working is due to the water supply lines going to the machine. Sometimes the water lines get folded and stop supplying water to your ice maker. Check the water lines to make sure they are straight and working properly. If this does not fix the problem, call a professional in your area to fix your ice maker!