We have many reasons to look forward to the holiday season, most of which involve food. If you plan to host the big dinners this year, you’ll definitely put your kitchen – and your plumbing – through a good workout. At Atomic Plumbing, we’re available 24/7 and during the holidays to assist with your Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach emergency plumbing needs, but we also want you to enjoy a problem-free Thanksgiving and Christmas. While you’re making up your shopping list, keep these tips in mind for keeping your pipes in good working order.
Watch for grease. As the weather becomes colder, your pipes are susceptible to the change in temperature. When you pour grease, liquid fats, and other oils down the sink, they could solidify and clog your plumbing, and cause flow problems down the road. If you plan to cook meats that require you to drain fats, use an alternative method for liquid disposal.
Prep your disposal. The more you cook, the more likely you’ll put your sink’s garbage disposal to use. It’s best to run cold water through the disposal for several seconds (15-20 should do it) before and after dumping food scraps. Make sure the disposal is running before you drop anything down the drain, and run warm water while it grinds your waste. This can help clear the pipes so they continue to work for you.
Also, watch the foods you throw away. Not everything is suited for the garbage disposal. Fibrous celery and corn husks, for example, don’t break up well. Foods that can expand in the cooking process, like rice, should also be disposed of another way.
Listen for problems. Well, this isn’t exactly a kitchen tip, but the holidays bring more people into your home and increase usage of your bathrooms, shower, and laundry. If anything sounds or works out of the ordinary, it could lead to greater problems if unchecked.
Listen for unusual sounds and watch for things like slow flushing toilets or clogged shower heads. If an emergency seems too big to handle while you’re preparing for the holidays, contact Atomic Plumbing to restore harmony to the pipes and fixtures in your Norfolk, Virginia Beach or Chesapeake home.