How to Keep Your Plumbing Flowing Smoothly this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for feasting with friends and family. Your plumbing may be the last thing on your mind, but did you know that Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for plumbers? With the following tips, you can enjoy family time to the fullest without clogged drains, broken garbage disposals, or cold showers to distract you.

• Throw leftovers in the trash, not down the drain. Even the garbage disposal can’t handle everything you throw at it. It may seem faster and easier to rinse leftovers off your plate and down the kitchen sink, but certain foods—including celery, potato and carrot peels, onion skins, lettuce, eggshells, cooking grease, pasta, and coffee grounds—belong in the trash, not down the drain.
• Operate the garbage disposal properly. When bits of food do end up in the sink, the garbage disposal comes to the rescue. Just make sure you use it right. This includes only operating the disposal while water is running, never stuffing the disposal with food, and keeping the water running for a few seconds after the disposal turns off to help wash away debris.
• Use a sink strainer in the kitchen and bathrooms. Whether your goal is to catch food scraps, soap particles, or hair, a sink strainer can do the trick. Outfit every sink in your home with this handy gadget to keep your pipes free of clogs.
• Wait 10 minutes between showers. If houseguests will be staying over, plan to wait at least 10 minutes between showers so the water heater has time to recover. Of course, if you have a tankless water heater, you can take as many showers back-to-back as you want without running out of hot water.
• Keep everything except toilet paper and human waste out of the toilet. You may know to follow the toilet-paper-only rule, but your guests might not. It could be worth posting a sign in your bathroom warning guests not to flush feminine hygiene products, “flushable” baby wipes, makeup pads, cotton balls, paper towels, and more.
• Have your drains cleaned before Even if your pipes seem to be flowing okay right now, that might not last with the stresses of the holiday. Be proactive and call a reliable plumber to inspect your pipes and clean your drains before your first dinner guest arrives.
• Know your limits when attempting to fix a plumbing problem. Thanksgiving is not the day to attempt your first DIY plumbing repair. If you can’t diagnose and fix the problem early, hand over the task to a qualified professional so you can get back to spending time with your family.

Whether you need preventative plumbing services before Thanksgiving arrives, or you’re faced with a severely clogged drain mid-holiday, Bob Hoegler Plumbing can help! Contact us at 732-521-0133 to schedule plumbing services in Monroe Township today.