Don’t Ruin Your Holidays With Plumbing Repairs!
The season of family gathering and eating amazing meals has officially begun, and we can’t wait! At Shamrock Plumbing, we are always keeping an eye out for things that could go wrong with your drains, pipes, and other plumbing fixtures. To help you, here are a few things to watch out for so you don’t end up needing to call a plumber on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
Don’t Put Turkey (or Ham) Down Your Disposal
Turkey and ham are a must-have for your holiday meal. Yet, many people tend to put their unwanted pieces down the garbage disposal, which could potentially lead to clogged drains. A lot of turkeys, hams, or other meat-based entrees come with additional packaging, and it may be convenient to throw these down the garbage disposal while preparing your meal; however, using a trash can will save you trouble later on. Check out the following list of items you should keep far away from your sink or garbage disposal during your holiday meal prepping:
- Turkey guts/skin
- Turkey/ham bones
- Packaging
- Eggshells
- Potato/sweet potato skins
- Excess stuffing materials
- Carrot peels
- Fruit pits
- Cooking grease
- Anything harder than an eggshell
If your meal is vegan or vegetarian, don’t put any vegetable stems or extra food down the drain. This could cause a clog! Depending on how fibrous or starchy the food item is, it could damage your disposal’s blades. Without a properly working disposal and a clogged kitchen sink, meal prepping (and cleaning up the meal afterwards) could become a near impossible task. To avoid damaging your sink, here are a few things that are safe to put down your garbage disposal:
- Any liquids that aren’t grease
- Soft foods like cereal that aren’t high in starch
- Finely chopped foods
- Soft fruits and veggies that have been skinned or peeled.
To avoid any problems, you should regularly check to see if there is anything in your disposal that shouldn’t be there. Remember to use caution when reaching into the disposal while removing items such as packaging, utensils, or other harmful materials. Ensure that the disposal is completely turned off! .
Don’t Overwork Your Heating Units
December and January are typically the coldest months of the year, but don’t overwork those heating units. Doing so would require a plumber having to come resolve the issue. Avoid breaking or damaging your heating units by following these tips:
- Prepare your water heater for winter.
- Keep your showers short and at a lower heat.
- Insulate your home so you don’t need such hot showers.
- Don’t pre-wash your dishes (intrigued? Go here.).
- Get both your heating unit and your water heater inspected.
We know it can be hard to stay warm during the winter sometimes, but following the steps above will save you money and will keep your appliances lasting longer.
Prevent Pipes from Freezing or Bursting
Freezing or bursting pipes happens often and, depending on the damage, this can be an intense repair or replacement. Before the cold starts to settle in, make sure your pipes are properly insulated and that you know what you need to do to prevent your pipes from bursting. For example, you may need to keep your faucets dripping during really cool temperatures to prevent water from freezing up inside. Another common winter repair is pipe leaks. Instead of freezing and bursting, your pipes may develop small cracks in the winter, which can cause unwanted leaks. To find out how to prevent leaks, make sure to check out our blog on preventing winter leaks.
Call Shamrock Plumbing!
Hopefully the above information has helped prepare you for the holiday season, so you can go about enjoying the festivities, family get-togethers, and delicious meals without having any problems occur. However, if something does happen, call the friendly plumbers at Shamrock Plumbing . We repair garbage disposals, broken pipes, heating units, and much more!
