The period from late November to early January is the busy season for plumbers, which means there are more leaks, clogs and backups than any other time of year. As much as we enjoy seeing our customers’ smiling faces, Country Gentlemen Plumbing encourages all of our friends in Syracuse to be a little more mindful this winter.
Why Holidays Are Hard on Your Pipes
There are several factors that all intersect around the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations in the United States. Young people are at home and families tend to be gathered together, which means there’s simply more demand than usual. Extremely cold temperatures in Syracuse also increase the risk of cracks, breaks and other serious damage from frozen pipes.
Don’t Pour That Down the Drain!
It’s so easy to dump grease down the drain. You think that you’ll be pouring just a little bit or doing it just once won’t hurt anything. Everything you put down your drain matters, especially during a high-volume time like holiday celebrations. Normally there would be time for things to break up and move along, but a busy family dinner is not the time to take risks with sewer clogs.
When in doubt, put it in the garbage. Don’t pour any kind of fat, oil or grease down the drain. Put waste grease in sealed containers, like leftover coffee canisters, before placing them in the waste bin. Be sure to send a lot of hot water down the drain to keep things clear throughout the preparation and cleaning process.
Be Kind to Your Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals can make a lot of problems go away, but they can easily become a problem themselves if you aren’t careful. Be sure to check the compartment for silverware and other hard objects before using the disposal. Don’t put anything down the garbage disposal that can leave grease or residue, including coffee grounds, fruit peels and fatty food.
What (Not) to Flush
A crowded home full of house-bound people is not the place to test new flushable products. Stock the bathrooms with flush-friendly paper and save the wet wipes for the people who really need them, at least until things are a little less busy. Of course, be sure no one is flushing things like paper, plastic or wrappers that should go in the garbage.
Stay Ahead of Problems
Don’t wait until your toilet is overflowing on Christmas Eve before calling a plumber. Contact Country Gentlemen Plumbing and schedule drain cleaning and maintenance services to brace yourself for the holiday season. Don’t tiptoe around plumbing problems. Take charge, call our team today and move on with your life.
