South Florida isn’t known for its cold winters, but it is known for its holiday guests. If you have family that visits from out of town for the holiday season, chances are they are using the plumbing in your home. As a homeowner, you want to be prepared for holiday season guests. This includes preparing your plumbing for extensive use. The following tips will help you prevent plumbing issues during the holiday season.
- Get started today – Begin by inspecting for signs of water damage, rust, and leaks in your home. Carefully inspect the walls, floors, carpeting, toilets, sinks and the water heater. If you see water stains on the walls or flooring, or puddles of water anywhere in your home, there is a leak somewhere that needs to be fixed.
- Update fixtures – Install new faucets and shower heads throughout your home. It updates the look of the fixtures and lessens the risk of leaks developing like older fixtures can do with excessive use.
- Install shower drain protectors – Holiday guests that stay in your home throughout the season will surely use the shower on a daily basis. This means hair can get clogged in the drain quicker than usual. Invest in shower drain protectors that act like a screen that catches hair before it goes down the drain and clogs the pipes. You can purchase these affordable clog preventers online or at your local home improvement store.
- Water heater – The water heater is responsible for providing your household with warm water for showers, the dishwasher and more. Consider the age of the water heater and if it could last the season with a house full of visitors. Generally, if the water heater is older than seven years you should consider preventative maintenance or replacement. A licensed plumber will guide you on what option is best suited for the age and condition of the water heater.
- Garbage disposal – You might have your family trained to only put specific items down the garbage disposal, but visitors might not know the rules. You can play it safe by asking visitors not to use the disposal or provide them with the rules. Either way, you want to clean the disposal before the visitors arrive to assure it is in proper working order. An easy remedy is allowing a half cup of white vinegar to soak in the drain where the garbage disposal is for about 10 minutes. Then flush it with hot tap water for about 2 minutes. This helps flush out sticky build-up and prevents clogged drains during the holiday season.
If you need further assistance preparing your home for the holiday season contact us today for an appointment. We have licensed professional plumbers ready to assist you!
Since 1968, Chip Mokher & his team has provided South Florida with quality service with a commitment to our customers’ satisfaction. Our many years of experience has allowed us to serve thousands of homes and businesses in Miami-Dade County. We welcome the opportunity to serve you, please call us at 305-446-8266 or email us at chip@mokherplumbing.com