While most people will prefer to ignore the need to protect your plumbing system part of hosting overnight guests, the fact is, having a plumbing disaster would be far more disruptive – and embarrassing – than simply working to prevent a problem from occurring.
There are a variety of things that can go wrong with your plumbing system during the winter months. Things like clogged drains, malfunctioning toilets, backed up sewer lines, and frozen and cracked pipes are all serious concerns when the weather turns cold.
If you are planning on having friends and family over for extended stays during the winter and holiday seasons – make sure to follow these simple tips to protect your plumbing system:
Make sure that your water heater is serviced and inspected by a professional plumber. Your water heater works 24 hours a day 7 days a week, so there is definitely a high need for making sure that all parts and pieces are in good condition. If your water heater is more than five years old, it is highly recommended that you have it inspected at least once per year to ensure that a minor issue doesn’t escalate.
Protect your garbage disposal from clogs and damage by having a kitchen garbage can right nearby. You should always scrape food scraps into the trash can rather than down the disposal as the disposal is a fragile kitchen appliance and can easily become clogged.
Add drain screens to the drains in your bathroom to prevent clogs and residue buildup. When people use the shower or the sinks, it is inevitable that strands of hair will get rinsed down the drain. Adding drain screens helps to prevent this from happening and limit the amount of hair that could get into the drain.
Make sure that you and your family have a lovely holiday and winter season by preventing these plumbing disasters from happening.