When the holiday season is in full swing and your house is packed full of family members, you’ve got a list a mile long of things to do and items to cook. The last thing you need is a holiday plumbing disaster occurring while your family is visiting or you’re having friends over for a holiday party.
Avoiding holiday plumbing disasters in central Florida areas such as Lakeland, Plant City, Winter Haven, and nearby cities is possible - if you’re proactive and follow a simple list of dos and don’ts. Here’s how to avoid some common holiday plumbing disasters.
A Broken Washing Machine Can Halt Holiday Plans
Planning and packing for a holiday trip can quickly come to a halt when you go to wash a load of clothes and realize the washing machine has broken down or is leaking. You may find yourself spending hours at a local laundromat cleaning your clothes while others are out celebrating the festivities. A hose that lets go while the house is full is worse, and that is where emergency plumbing and a fast shutoff matter. A slow drip behind the machine is a job for leak detection.
It’s easy, however, to avoid this! By performing routine washing machine maintenance such as running a cycle of washing machine cleaner, you can remove buildup and other issues. Have your plumber check washing machine hoses periodically, which is part of regular plumbing maintenance and one of the checks in our True Home Membership. Make sure to check your dryer too, and routinely remove lint from the lint trap to eliminate a fire hazard.
Malfunctioning Dishwasher May Lead to You Spending Hours Washing Holiday Dinner Dishes
A dishwasher gets a lot of use during the holidays, from Thanksgiving dinner to Christmas lunch and everything in between. If it malfunctions during this time, you may be spending precious hours washing dishes, pots, pans, and silverware from your holiday dinner. Don’t overload your dishwasher, as too many dishes can lead to dishwasher leaks and other issues. Also, ensure your drain area is clear by rinsing off plates before loading them into the dishwasher. Grease and scraps that reach the kitchen line are what turn into a holiday call for professional drain cleaning, and there is more on that in what you need to know about garbage disposals.
Clogged Toilets Can Put a Damper on a Holiday Gathering
If you have lots of guests or family over, it’s natural that the toilets in your household will be used more frequently - and it also increases the chances of a toilet mishap occurring. If you don’t already have a small trash can next to your toilets, then place one there so guests won’t try to flush things down the toilet that don’t belong there, such as baby wipes, sanitary napkins, and the other things you should never flush down your toilet.
It’s also advised to keep a plunger by each toilet so that any small clogs can be taken care of immediately. If one overflows anyway, here is what to do when your toilet overflows, and a toilet that runs or rocks needs toilet repair before the guests arrive.
Water Heater Failure Adds Unwanted Chill to Holiday Mornings
When water heaters stop working or fail, it’s always inconvenient, but it can be particularly inconvenient when you have a house full of visiting family members for the holidays. From showers to washing dishes to cleaning clothes, hot water is used for a myriad of things during holiday preparation and planning. Thus, it’s best to routinely examine your water heater to ensure it’s working well and there are no leaks. A tank that rumbles or weeps at the base needs water heater repair, and an older unit may be past that point, which the 5 indicators your water heater needs to be replaced will tell you. Replacement options, including tankless water heaters, are worth pricing before the holidays rather than during them.
Need help working to avoid holiday plumbing disasters? Contact the pros at True Plumbers & AC today.
With a little preventative maintenance and some strategically placed items, it’s relatively easy to avoid common holiday plumbing disasters. If you do experience a plumbing issue during the holidays, then contact the pros at True Plumbers & AC. We’re available 24/7 to help with plumbing emergencies in central Florida areas such as Lakeland, Plant City, Winter Haven, and nearby areas. If you are traveling instead of hosting, run through preparing your plumbing when you go on vacation first. Give us a call at (863) 667-6364.
