This is the time of year to spend time with family, eat all of your favorite meals, and enjoy your new gifts. But is your plumbing ready for the upcoming holiday season?
If you have more visitors, your plumbing will have to handle more water than usual, your pipes will be under more pressure, and oily meals may find their way into drains and clog them.
Typically, after Christmas, people call in plumbers to fix the harm caused by blocked kitchen sinks, overloaded hot water systems, and broken drains. However, by then the harm has already been done.
1. Fill up your petrol cans
Before the holiday rush begins, you should check your gas bottles and make sure you have extras if you have a gas barbecue. When a hungry table of relatives is waiting for Christmas lunch, you don’t want to be caught off guard without gas.
Consider connecting the BBQ to your domestic gas supply if your home has a gas heating system to cross off a task from your list for Christmas day. This will make sure that no one misses out on their surf and turf, and you won’t have to worry about finding a spare gas bottle while you’re trying to unwind.
2. Look for clogs in your pipes
Give your pipes a quick five-minute emergency plumbing checkup for an unpleasant smell. Although you won’t be able to see what’s going on below the surface, foul smells may indicate blocked drains and organic buildup. Another sign that you might have obstructions are pipes that take a long time to drain.
It is preferable to schedule an immediate service with your neighborhood Sydney plumber if you notice a blockage or odor. After clearing your pipes, you may enjoy a well-earned food coma in peace, knowing that your plumbing can manage the additional showers and water usage.
3. Reduce the pressure in your hot water system
Christmas entails spending time with family, returning from the beach coated in sand, and getting down and dirty playing backyard cricket. Additionally, this means that more filthy bodies will require more showers.
Try spacing out showers if the size of your household has grown since Christmas so that your hot water system has time to refill.
Additionally, this will give your drains a chance to completely clean, preventing any unpleasant backflow or drainage problems.
As you entertain family and guests, you’ll use your hot water more often to wash dishes and run the washing machine. While everyone is sleeping, running the dishwasher and the laundry at night might help relieve pressure on your hot water system.
Additionally, if you’re fortunate enough to have Santa Claus visit you as well, the sound of a washing machine running will help mask his footfall.
Final thought
Even if you can reduce the risk of a plumbing emergency by using the article’s simple advice, the worst-case scenario can still strike.
It can be helpful to keep the number of an emergency plumber on hand in case of a broken pipe, a hot water heater malfunction, or a toilet that is dripping on the floor.
Prefer plumbers that provide 24/7 service so that you aren’t kept waiting, and if same-day service isn’t an option, seek for someone who is prepared to make time to address your plumbing issue.
