As families gather around tables laden with turkey and sweet potato casserole, your plumbing system faces its biggest annual stress test. The combination of extra guests, marathon cooking sessions, and increased bathroom usage transforms your quiet Leeds, AL, home into a bustling hub where every drain, pipe and fixture works overtime. According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, plumbing problems cause an average of $13,000 in water damage costs. Meanwhile, professional plumbers report that emergency calls spike by 50% during major holidays. Don’t let a plumbing disaster drain the joy from your celebration.
Stop Garbage Disposals From Becoming Kitchen Nightmares
Your garbage disposal wasn’t designed to handle the feast leftovers that November and December gatherings produce. Fibrous vegetables like celery, potato peels and turkey skin create clogs that can shut down your kitchen mid-celebration.
Run cold water for 15 seconds before and after grinding food, feed waste gradually rather than dumping everything at once and keep grease far away from your drain. These simple habits protect your disposal from overload.
Protect Your Toilets From Guest Overflow Disasters
Extra guests mean exponential toilet usage that can overwhelm older plumbing systems. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that toilets account for nearly 30% of household water consumption, and holiday stress multiplies that figure.
Ensure each bathroom has a plunger visible and accessible. Remind guests that only toilet paper goes down the drain. Spread bathroom usage across multiple facilities when possible to prevent any single fixture from backing up.
Keep Your Water Heater Running at Peak Performance
Nothing kills festive spirits faster than ice-cold showers for overnight guests. Water heaters struggle when multiple people need hot water for cooking, cleaning and bathing simultaneously.
The Department of Energy notes that water heating represents 18% of home energy costs, and system failures peak during high-demand periods. Flush sediment from your tank before guests arrive, and adjust the temperature to 120 degrees for optimal efficiency. Schedule showers strategically to allow recovery time between uses.
Prevent Grease From Clogging Your Drain Lines
Cooking oils and animal fats solidify inside pipes, creating rock-hard blockages that professional equipment barely penetrates. The American Society of Plumbing Engineers identifies grease as the leading cause of residential drain clogs, accounting for thousands of emergency calls each year.
Pour cooled grease into disposable containers, and wipe greasy pans with paper towels before washing. Ise enzymatic drain cleaners monthly to break down accumulating residue naturally.
Your home deserves plumbing that works as hard as you do during the holiday season. W.C. Wright And Son, Inc brings decades of local expertise to every service call, ensuring your systems handle whatever your celebrations demand. Contact us today for a pre-holiday plumbing inspection in Leeds, AL, and enjoy gatherings without worrying about what’s happening behind your walls.
Image provided by Canva