Christmas time can be magical, but it can also be hectic – and the last thing you want on Christmas Day is leaking pipes, blocked drains and a plumbing disaster. But Christmas and New Years always sees an influx of out of hours calls to plumbers for simple issues that could have been avoided.
Here are our top tips on how to avoid a plumbing disaster this Christmas:
Don’t pour hot fat down your kitchen sink
When you’re tasked with the washing up after a filling christmas dinner, it can be tempting to pour the leftover hot fat down the kitchen sink. But DON’T – the fat poured down the drain will cool in the waste pipe, build up and cause blockages. Instead, pour the fat into a different container, wait for it to cool and solidify, and then throw it in the bin. Pouring it down the sink may leave you with a costly plumbing emergency on Christmas day.
Use a sink strainer when rinsing plates
Sink strainers are incredibly handy and can be purchased from most hardware stores. To avoid blockages, make sure you use your sink strainer when washing your dinner plates, to catch waste the food that you rinse off your plates. Place these scraps into the bin. Alternatively, you can use a colander to catch the food scraps.
Buy a plunger
Make sure you have a plunger on hand for simple blockages. If you don’t have a plunger, a mop handle can work just as well outside for the ORG or a toilet waste. For a sink waste, you can add some dishwasher detergent down the drain, fill the sink and use the palm of your hand to create a plunging action to help ‘unblock’ your sink. But a plunger is best for all these circumstances. Hot water can also dissolve fats that may have congealed in the trap.
Locate where to turn the water off
Get knowledgeable about where to turn your water off to your house. In the event of an unexpected leak, turn off the water at the meter and ring for a plumber. If you’re going away on holidays, consider turning off the water to prevent an unexpected flexi hose blow out.
Regular services
Regular maintenance keeps appliances working effectively and efficiently. It also makes a costly breakdown less likely. So if you haven’t had your boiler serviced yet this year, get it booked in for as soon as possible – you don’t want to find yourself without heating as the temperatures drop.
If you would like more advice, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!
[email protected] | 07545 198220
