Get Your Plumbing Ready for the Holidays

Just imagine: You’re halfway through cooking your mouthwatering holiday dinner and your kitchen sink is draining at a snail’s pace. Or, you’re enjoying your special meal and your toilet clogs up, overflowing out the bathroom onto your new hardwood floors.

Either scenario, or others like them, could wreak havoc or ruin the fun and joyous celebration you had planned for the holidays. But these disasters may be avoidable. Here’s how:

Clear Your Clogs and Keep Them Clean

Your sinks, drains and toilets will likely be working overtime over the holidays – make sure they’re clear of clogs and in good working order well in advance.

• • Toilet: Remember to never flush anything down the toilet except toilet paper – baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, paper towel, even Q-tips, don’t seem like they can cause problems but they can create a damming effect, building up and blocking pipes and causing your toilet to clog or overflow.
  • Bathtub: When it comes to your bathtub, a few hairs don’t seem like something that could cause a problem but, over time, strands of hair get caught and build up in nasty clumps that slow down water drainage to a crawl. Remove and clean your shower stopper regularly or buy a small mesh basket to gather stray hair, which you can clear on a regular basis.
  • Kitchen sink: When cooking your holiday meals – or any meals anytime – avoid pouring cooking oil, fat or grease and other food debris down your sink. Grease can solidify in your pipes and cause a serious clog. And seemingly little bits of meat, vegetables, rice or pasta thrown down the drain will only make matters worse.

Upgrade Outdated Plumbing Fixtures

Before the holidays – or anytime really – it’s a great idea to replace your old and inefficient plumbing fixtures, like faucets and showerheads. Not only is it a quick way to give your kitchen or bathroom a refreshed and updated look, new fixtures can also help ensure your plumbing stays in good working order all year round.

Know Where to Shut Off Your Water

One of the most dangerous moments during a water emergency – like a clogged toilet, kitchen sink or overflowing dishwasher – is not acting fast enough to shut off your water supply to avoid flood damage. Make sure every member of your family knows where each fixture’s water shut-off valve is. It’s a good idea to also know where your home’s water shut-off valve is located too – especially if you’re going to be away for holidays.

Protect Yourself

If you need a good plumber, remember to check out these tips to help you find one or call Reliance anytime at 1-888-837-1451 for fast, reliable and friendly service.

Better yet, get protected with a Reliance Plumbing Protection Plan. It includes most parts and labour, with no deductible or hidden costs, and you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing your home and budget are always protected from unexpected plumbing disasters. (You can learn more about our plans here.)