It’s the season to be merry, for Christmas is soon approaching! The merry season means more of everything. More food, more kitchen wastage, more visitors around and not mention all that extra washing. But, in the midst of that have you ever thought about your poor plumbing? Probably not. All the additional cooking, washing, and showering does put a strain on your home plumbing system. So, the Wellington plumber’s at Plumbspec have a few handy tips to prepare your plumbing for the merry season. 

 

Waste disposal

A common plumbing issue our Wellington Plumbers see all over the Christmas/new year break are broken waste disposals. With families busy in the kitchen preparing hearty feasts, food and liquid usually get stuck in places where they don’t belong, causing damage to the waste disposal unit. Although it’s the job of the waste disposal to break down food, there are some foods/liquids that should never be shoved down the waste disposal. Some of which include: 

  • Poultry skins 
  • Bones 
  • Corn husks 
  • Eggshells
  • Coffee grounds
  • Oils, greases, and fats 

Pouring oil or grease down the waste disposal may seem okay until it cools, solidifies, and blocks your water pipes. The best thing to do when it comes to grease is to collect them in a covered container and discard it in the weekly rubbish.

 

Toilets

The Christmas season means more family and friends around. And, with all the food and drinks we know toilets are high in demand. Our Wellington Plumbers at Plumbspec recommend the following: 

  • If your home has more than one toilet or bathroom, ensure that they are all clean and available to use. Avoid putting too much strain on one bathroom’s pipes. It’s best for the pipes if the love is spread around. 
  • Ensure that visitors know that makeup remover pads, sanitary pads, nappies, and baby wipes go in the bin. Flushing these items down the toilet will clog your plumbing systems, damage your pipes, and even damage the machinery at the wastewater treatment plants. Don’t trust products that state they are flushable. There is no such thing as a flushable wipe. 
  • Look after your home plumbing system and the environment by placing a rubbish bin near the toilet, so that your guest can discard their rubbish correctly.

 

Showers

If you find yourself hosting guests over the holidays the last thing you want is for them to be waking up to an icy cold shower. Spacing morning showers in 10-15 minute blocks will allow for your hot water supply to replenish. It also will provide an opportunity for your drains to clear out. To further protect your plumbing, block your shower drains with a cover to avoid gross clumps of hair clogging your drains. 

 

At Plumbspec, we know that you’d rather be focusing on making your holidays one to remember. But, we also know that a plumbing emergency always occurs when you least expect it. That’s why we are ready to stand by you this holiday season so that you can get back to enjoying your holiday with your family. If you run into a plumbing emergency our team of Wellington Plumbers is ready to help! Contact us today on: 0800 232 650