Your Ultimate Plumbing Checklist for Holiday Season

The holiday are here again! You must be super busy with decorating the Christmas tree, preparing multiple batches of Christmas cookies, and making lists of presents for loved ones. This festive season comes with a lot of hustle and bustle making you forget about the ever so annoying plumbing problems in your house. To save you from being caught off guard by unforeseen plumbing issues during the holidays, we have prepared a checklist to help you fix your plumbing problems well before Christmas Eve.

In this checklist, we have covered all the essential points to help you solve existing pluming problems and plumbing proof your house to safeguard yourself and your family from that last-minute panic.

  1. Inspect your hot water system: You wouldn’t want your guests to be stuck in the bathroom with no hot water. Make sure that the cold-water supply line is clear, and the valves are functioning fine. Look for leaks, sedimentation, and check the temperature of the water from the heater. If you encounter issues that you cannot fix or you need a replacement water heater, do not delay in calling for help, as plumbers are swamped with work during the holiday season.

 

  1. Treat your toilets: Your thinking throne is bound to bear some extra load during the upcoming days. Look for leaks after you flush the toilet, check for water backing up into the sinks and ensure there is no blockage in the drains. Keep trash cans near the toilets and encourage the guests to dispose of anything other than toilet paper into the proper receptical to prevent clogging of your toilet

 

  1. Keep an eye what goes down your kitchen drains: Kitchens are a busy place during holiday season, and you can’t afford to have a blocked drain that time. Don’t discard oils and cooking grease in the kitchen sink to prevent clogging of your drains. Also, remove any scraps of food that settle in the bottom of the sink strainers.

 

  1. Be easy on your garbage disposal: It could be chaotic if your garbage disposal gives up in the middle of your holiday fun. To save yourself from the betrayal of your garbage disposal, use it wisely and reduce the amount of food that does into the sink as leftover increase drastically during this time of the year. Avoid putting oil, grease, starchy or fibrous foods down the garbage disposal to keep it functioning smoothly. Keep your disposal fresh and clean by dropping lemon and orange rinds to grind every now and then.

 

  1. Check your septic tanks: With guests visiting during the festive season, the increased use of toilets is inevitable. In such cases, if your septic tank has not been checked recently, then there is possibility of unpleasant smells wafting out of your basement. Do a visual inspection by flushing the toilets and running the faucets for several minutes to let the system purge. Examine the yard above the septic tank, looking for leaks, if any. If you are due for a full septic system inspection, call a qualified septic service professional to determine if the system is overloaded or if there is any leakage.

 

  1. Winterproof your pipes and ducts: Seal and insulate all your plumbing to prevent frozen pipes, which can result it bursts. A burst pipe amidst the festivity is sure to halt the fun and dampen the festive mood. Look for cracks in your heating and air supply ducts, sealing them to prevent the escape of hot air into any unconditioned spaces or the outside.

 

  1. Examine all the appliances: An out of order coffee machine or a noisy and slow garbage disposal is sure to give you a headache when you have guests around or you are busy preparing for a celebration. Make sure you check all your appliances beforehand for a smooth functioning household during the holiday.

 

  1. Test all your heating sources: If your house has multiple heating sources such as space heater, furnace, and radiant floor heat, turn them on all at once to find any heating problems or electrical failures. Ensure the heating sources are clean and repaired before the winter hits to let your family enjoy the Christmas season in comfort.

 

  1. Turn off Unused Outdoor Gas Lines: It is recommended to turn off the gas supply to unused gas grills, pool heaters or anything fueled by gas. The temperature change can lead to leaks. To be safe, it is better turn anything off that is not regularly in use.

 

  1. Clear your gutters: Look for clogs in your gutters and clear out any debris that is blocking the drainage of water to help prevent the formation of icicles in freezing weather. Check the insulation of your attic, too, to reduce the heating bill and formation of icicles along your roof edge.

 

Wrapping Up!

We hope that this checklist will help you in prepping up your home for the approaching holidays effectively and efficiently. Fix your plumbing problems yourself or get them fixed by your local plumbing service. As Covid-19 is still around, it’s important to know the sanitation policies of the plumbing services before scheduling their visit and following safety measures once they are at your home.

Wishing a Safe and Merry Christmas to you and yours!