Thanksgiving is almost here! It’s about time to start thinking about what you’re going to serve your guests, how many people are coming, and what you’re going to wear.
It is the most stressful holiday of the year. Between the cooking, the cleaning, and trying to find time to get everything done in your day-to-day life, it can feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day. However, there are some things you can do ahead of time to ensure you have a smooth Thanksgiving—and those things involve your plumbing.
Your plumbing is an important part of your home and needs a little TLC before Thanksgiving. If you don’t take care of your plumbing, it could cause some serious issues during the holiday season. According to the study, some people are more likely to experience plumbing issues during the holidays than at any other time of year. The same study also found that when people have plumbing issues during the holidays, they’re more likely to be frustrated by them.
In this article, we’ll give you tips on how to prepare your plumbing for Thanksgiving so that everything goes smoothly this year.
How to Prepare Your Plumbing For Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a time of celebration, but it’s also a time when there’s a lot of cooking going on. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been planning this Thanksgiving for months—maybe even years!
And when it comes to planning your Thanksgiving menu, you might think about how many people you’re going to feed or what the weather will be like on November 23rd. But what about your plumbing?
It’s easy to forget about plumbing when you’re busy whipping up delicious dishes and decorating your house for the big day. But don’t forget that your plumbing can make or break your Thanksgiving dinner. Here are some plumbing do’s and don’ts for Thanksgiving from James Plumbing & Heating so that you can have a stress-free holiday:
Be mindful of what goes down the garbage disposal.
You may be tempted to throw everything into the garbage disposal, but it’s not designed for everything. The drain is meant for food waste only, so don’t put anything else down there, like paper or hair. You can also run an ice cube down the drain as a way to clear out any leftover grease or food particles that might be causing a clog.
Dispose of cooking grease and oil properly.
If you’re deep-frying your turkey this year, make sure that you dispose of all of those drippings properly. Don’t just toss them onto the ground outside—they could clog up your sewer lines and cause problems later on! Instead, pour them into a container with water and soap and let them sit overnight before disposing of them in your trash can outside (or in an outdoor bin).
Check for leaks.
As you prepare for the big day, it’s important to make sure that any Thanksgiving plumbing leaks are fixed before you start cooking. A leaking pipe could ruin your meal and give your guests a bad impression of your hospitality.
Clear drains.
If there is standing water in your sink or bathtub, it can cause waste products to start building up in the pipes and eventually cause a clog—which can ruin your holiday meals as well as your guests’ day. Be sure to check drains regularly and clear out any clogs as soon as they occur!
Test your toilets.
Thanksgiving is a busy time for everyone, but you can’t let your kitchen sink or toilet get clogged because you’re too busy to keep an eye on them. Make sure to test your toilets before you go out for a holiday, and if they need any attention, call a plumber immediately.
Upgrade your garbage disposal.
If you have a garbage disposal in your kitchen sink, now is the perfect time to upgrade it! If you’ve been thinking about getting one but don’t know where to start, we can help! Just give us a call at 505-473-7148, and we’ll walk you through what kind of disposal best suits your needs and budget.
Educate guests.
Teach your guests about the importance of keeping cold and hot water closed off during the holiday. This is a great way to keep your plumbing from freezing and bursting and prevent you from paying more for additional water usage.
Schedule maintenance.
Schedule a maintenance appointment with a professional plumber to make sure your plumbing is in tip-top condition for the holidays, or sign up for annual plumbing service agreements. A professional can help you identify any potential issues before they become big problems.
Insulate pipes.
Thanksgiving is the time of year when your pipes may be at their highest risk of freezing and bursting. To minimize the chances of this happening, you can insulate your plumbing pipes by wrapping them in foam or another insulating material.
Adjust the water heater temperature.
Adjust your water heater temperature to 120 degrees F or lower to help prevent frozen pipes. It’s best to avoid turning it down below 120 degrees F, as this can increase the risk of bacteria growth in your home’s water pipes.
Clear outdoor drains.
Before you even think about hosting your own Thanksgiving dinner, make sure that your outdoor drains are clear. This way, when guests come in and out of your house on their way to the bathroom or kitchen, there won’t be any backups!
Provide trash bins.
Your guests are going to be using a lot of paper plates and plastic utensils while they’re eating at your house this year—make sure they have somewhere to throw them away afterward! You don’t want all that trash piling up in your living room while everyone is watching football together!
Avoid pouring grease down your drains.
Grease is one of the worst things you can put down your drain, and it can cause serious clogs and problems with your pipes. Grease also attracts other residues that clog drains, so be sure to clean out any grease traps in your kitchen before Thanksgiving dinner.
Use strainers.
Strainers are especially important when cooking large amounts of food, like mashed potatoes or stuffing, because they help prevent food particles from blocking drains. If you have an older strainer that doesn’t fit over your sink drain, you can use a few pieces of aluminum foil to create a makeshift strainer—just make sure it’s not too shallow, or the liquid will just pool around the edges!
Emergency plunger.
The best way to keep your plumbing from being a disaster is to know how to handle it when things go wrong. If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, a plunger is your best friend. Don’t just buy any old plunger—make sure it’s got a good seal and that the rubber is flexible enough to fit your toilet. If you’re unsure if yours will work or not, test it out before going on vacation this holiday season!
Educate about septic systems.
You might think all toilets are created equal, but they have some pretty big differences! The most important thing to understand is whether your toilet uses a septic system or not—if so, don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or detergent in your toilet tank because they can damage the system over time. Instead, stick with milder cleaners like vinegar (which also works great at removing scum from the inside of your shower!).
Limit disposal use.
Disposals are great for getting rid of food scraps but can also cause clogs if used too much. So if you’re going to be cooking up a storm in the kitchen, think twice before tossing those leftovers down the drain!
Prepare an emergency kit.
You should always have one on hand in case of emergencies, but it’s especially important when your plumbing breaks down at the worst possible time (like during a holiday weekend). Your kit should include bottled water (for drinking), dish soap (to clean up spills), paper towels (to dry up wet spots), disinfectant wipes or spray (to sanitize surfaces), and safety glasses (so you don’t get hurt if you need to turn off a pipe).
Know the shut-off valves.
Many homes have three valves in the basement: one for water supply lines, one for drainpipes, and one for gas lines. These valves may be located underneath sinks, behind toilets, or near the water heater. Make sure you know where these valves are located so you can turn them off quickly if needed. These valves are often labeled with words such as “supply” or “drain.” If you’re not sure which valve is which, ask somebody at your local hardware store for help identifying them!
Adjust dishwasher settings.
A Thanksgiving dinner can put a lot of pressure on your dishwasher. If it’s not working at its best, you might find yourself having to hand-wash dishes in the sink when there’s so much else going on! To avoid this problem, check your dishwasher’s settings and make sure they’re set for the amount of food that will be going into it. Then, do a test run with a few dishes before using it for Thanksgiving dinner—you’ll be able to see if anything needs adjusting before everyone shows up!
Monitor water pressure.
Checking the water pressure in your home can help prevent potential damage from burst pipes or flooding. A good rule of thumb is to check it once a month by turning off all faucets and letting the water drain from each fixture in your home. Then turn on one faucet at a time until you’re sure all fixtures are working properly!
Inform about low-flow fixtures.
Make sure that guests who use low-flow toilets know how to flush them properly so they don’t clog up! You don’t want someone using these toilets for the first time at your house only to find that they can’t flush them at all! This will not make for a good Thanksgiving experience for anyone involved…
Monitor water pressure.
If you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, don’t forget to check your water pressure ahead of time. Low-pressure issues can cause clogs in your pipes, which is especially problematic if the issue happens during your holiday feast. It’s a good idea to test the pressure in your home before the big day to avoid any unwanted surprises on Turkey Day.
Dispose of turkey grease properly.
Turkey fat can clog up your drains quickly and easily, so be sure to dispose of it in a way that won’t cause problems later on. You can pour the grease into an empty coffee can or other container and place it outside with your garbage (but not next to it—turkey fat can attract animals). Or, if you don’t want to go through the hassle of disposing separately, just put the leftover grease down any drain once the turkey is gone.
Avoid DIY remedies for clogs.
While some of these tricks may work on minor issues like slow drains or soap scum buildup on shower doors, they’re not going to do much good against serious clogs caused by grease or other materials that need professional attention before they get worse!
Keep the sewer line clear.
While many people think that Thanksgiving is all about eating turkey, we know other important things are happening under your sink as well! It’s important to keep your sewer line clear of debris and gunk so that everything runs smoothly throughout the holidays—and beyond!
Monitor water usage.
If you’re hosting a large get-together or preparing food for many people, make sure that you monitor your water usage so that it doesn’t exceed what your home’s pipes can handle. You don’t want to be stuck with an overflowing toilet or flooded basement!
Find an emergency plumber before anything goes wrong!
We know how chaotic Thanksgiving can be—that’s why we’ve created an online directory where homeowners can find emergency plumbers near them right now!
Sign Up for Annual Service Agreements to Keep Your Plumbing Ready for All Seasons!
Winter is coming, and so does Thanksgiving!
Are you ready to face the harsh weather? How about your pipes?
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think much about your plumbing until something goes wrong. But if you sign up for an Annual Service Agreement from James Plumbing & Heating in Santa Fe, NM, we’ll make sure that your pipes are ready to face anything Mother Nature can throw at them!
Our annual plumbing service agreements include everything from regular checkups and maintenance to emergency repairs and replacement parts if necessary. And best of all? It’s all included in one low fee!
With our plumbing service agreements, you will get:
– A guaranteed response time within 24 hours
– A yearly home inspection by a licensed plumber.
– A thorough inspection of your pipes to determine if there are any problems that need to be addressed.
– A written report detailing any issues that need to be addressed.
– A list of recommended plumbing repairs with prices included.
– Upgraded equipment and parts as needed to ensure your system is always running smoothly.
– An invoice for your records.
– Free estimates for any additional work that may be needed.
– Peace of mind knowing that your plumbing is ready for whatever comes it’s way.
So whether you live in Santa Fe or elsewhere in NM, take advantage of our annual service agreements and keep your plumbing running smoothly all year!
Call our licensed plumbers today at 505-473-7148 to learn more about our Plumbing Services in Santa Fe, NM!