Holiday Plumbing Care

Holidays are busy for most households because of more people in the home and holiday events. If you are preparing your home for the holidays, consider focusing on your plumbing as well, so you don’t need emergency plumbing help while you have guests!

• Walk around your home and inspect all the pipes in your home. Consider calling a plumber if you notice frost, leaks, or corrosion on the pipes in your home.
• Inspect the exterior of your home for leaks, unusual wet areas in your yard, and the outside drains.
• Clean out the drains in your basement and outside of your home to make sure they can handle any added rain or runoff from a storm.
• Consider having your slow drains cleared before you have guests. If you can’t get your slow drains moving, a plumber can clean your pipes so that you don’t have to worry about them backing up during holiday festivities.
• Check the water heater in your home for leaks and corrosion. Run the hot water in your home and inspect it for taste, smell, and color. If you notice brownish water, you may have rust in your tank water heater. If your water heater isn’t heating as well as it used to, flushing the tank may be able to get rid of some of the built-up corrosion that impacts the efficiency of the unit.
• Check your garbage disposal for odors or clogs. You can sharpen the blades on your garbage disposal with ice and clean it with vinegar and baking soda.
• Consider a shower schedule if you have a house full of people and a tank water heater. Having showers spread apart will ensure that your hot water won’t run out when you need it for something important.
• If you notice noises, odors, or bad tastes coming from your pipes or water, call Mr. Rooter to have an inspection. These issues quickly become big problems when your plumbing is overworked.