Who doesn’t love the holidays? Everyone is in a good mood. The weather down here in Houston is BEAUTIFUL. Families and friends are getting together. Houston plumbing drains are getting clogged…wait…no. That’s not something to love about the holidays. There are definitely ways to prevent clogs from happening while celebrating, though. Keep these common issues in mind:
ONLY Flush Toilet Paper
Provide your guests with a polite reminder to not flush any wet wipes, sanitary products, or paper towels down the toilet. While this may be something they do in their home (although they shouldn’t), this shouldn’t be something you do in your home. Afterall- if the drains get clogged in your home, who’s going to pay for the repair? We highly doubt that your previous guests will cough up and dough to cover the damage they did to your plumbing system. Just saying. Encourage guests to follow your rules by stocking each bathroom with a trash can that you empty frequently.
No Oil
This is another common no-no that we can’t preach against enough. People love to pour oil down the drain because it’s an easy way to get rid of a messy substance. We get that pouring your oil into a container and throwing it in the trash isn’t the most convenient way to dispose of the greasy mess, but it must be done if you don’t want to pay hefty Houston plumbing repair fees. See, these oils cool and thicken up, which mean that it’s thickening up in your pipes and slowing the draining process. Think of your plumbing pipes as an artery. If you keep ingesting the wrong foods (or pouring oils down the drain, in this instance), the plaque in your arteries (oil in your pipes) is going to build up. Eventually, your arteries (pipes) and going to be so clogged that nothing can get through them, which obviously causes a serious problem. Long story short- do not, under any circumstances, pour oil down the drain unless you’re prepared to throw money down the drain, too.
Food Scraps
Everyone has experienced that feeling in which they are so full that they literally cannot eat another bite. It’s too late to put those last few bites on the plate back on the serving tray, though. This is the moment in which many people decide to cut their losses and toss those last couple of bites. While some know better than to throw the scraps down the garbage disposal and opt for the trash can instead, many people still like the “out of sight, out of mind” method of chunking it down the disposal. Despite its name, a garbage disposal isn’t this big, bad mechanical machine that eats unwanted food trash. They’re actually delicate little flowers and we have to be mindful as to what we throw in there. If you’re worried about the smell of food rotting in your trashcan, why not throw your food scraps into a compost pile? Not only is it eco-friendly, it’ll also save you money on fertilizer come springtime (we’re sorry for your loss in sales this spring, HomeDepot).
Keep in mind that even with all of these precautions taken, you will still come across plumbing issues eventually. Whether it’s an aging Houston plumbing system, tree roots making their way to the pipes, or even little lapses in precautional judgment, it’s bound to happen. The good news is that Santhoff is more than happy to help you with your plumbing needs around the clock. If you find yourself in a pickle this holiday season, make Santhoff the first Houston plumbing company you call. You won’t be disappointed!