Unclog Drains Before the Holidays

With the holidays coming up, that means you will host friends and family for food and festivities. In the days (or minutes) leading up to their arrival, you are cleaning and tidying up the house, making sure your home is ready for guests. True, you make sure everything on the surface is ready, but what about under the surface?

An influx of people in your house means your plumbing will work overtime. So, before the holidays hit, make certain you unclog drains to prevent a plumbing emergency.

Your drains will clog when there is something down there that shouldn’t be. When you are cleaning up after every meal, and not just the holiday suppers, know what can and cannot go through your garbage disposal.

As tempting as it is to make quick work of the dishes, put as much food waste into the trash instead of the garbage disposal. Bones, celery, coffee grounds, and potato peels are just a few things that might end up down there. Even if you can get these down through the sink, odds are that they can get stuck somewhere further along the line in your pipes.

While on dishes, be aware of ways that your dishwasher can fall victim to clogs. When you’re done eating, do not put your plate directly into the dishwasher right away. Wipe off the waste into the garbage, and then give your bowl or plate a good rinse. Some modern, high-end dishwashers can handle some food chunks, but others cannot.

You and your guests should also know what can and cannot flush down the toilet. Seeing a toilet drain slowly, or not at all, isn’t just a cause for embarrassment, but can be a sign of trouble with the plumbing. Toilet paper can absolutely be flushed down the toilet, but as for paper towels, tissue paper, or “flushable” wipes, toss it in the bin. These things can quickly cause clogs, and might not budge even with the plunger.

Be proactive this season and inspect your plumbing to avoid any problems during the holidays. For any help now, or during a time of emergency, call Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves in providing nothing but exceptional customer service.