Hosting Guests for the Holidays Can Be a Stress Test for Your Plumbing
Hosting guests for the holidays is one of the best ways to finally spend quality time with friends and family members. However, it also serves as a sort of stress test for the plumbing in your home. Your water pipes are likely to work just fine under the increased demand, but your sewage pipes are at particular risk of overloading. A little extra preparation and a visit from Joe the Plumber can help get your home’s plumbing ready for holiday gatherings.
Check Outdoor Temperatures
First, check the weather report for the time period you’re hosting guests. If temperatures are dropping far below freezing, you may need to let the faucets drip or use space heaters under the house to prevent frozen pipes. Dealing with a lack of water or gushing leaks while you have a house full of guests will dramatically increase the challenges already present in hosting. It’s easy to get distracted by the fun you’re having with your family members and guests, so make sure to set reminders linked to local weather reports, that way you won’t miss a particularly cold night.
Figure Out Water Pressure Issues
Does one of your guest bathrooms lack proper water pressure? Do you experience flow or temperature issues when multiple fixtures are in use at the same time? It’s time to solve these issues before guests arrive. You don’t want to confine guests to using a shower that barely trickles or try to work out rotating shifts of using the toilets or bathtubs. Settle up any minor issues that make your plumbing system less than ideal to use so that it can perform at its peak under the highest levels of demand.
Have the Plumbing Inspected
Don’t wait to discover a clog that’s already forming by adding half a dozen more users to a single toilet or shower. A plumbing inspection can catch small issues you haven’t noticed yet so they can be addressed before your guests arrive. Plumbing inspections not only focus on the drainage system where clogs can form but also catch leaks from the supply lines as well. Solving small leaks restores water pressure at the various faucets and showers, not to mention reduces your overall water expenses just in time for increased use. If you’re in the Cypress, Texas area, choose Joe the Plumber as your inspection provider.
Prepare Recommendations for Proper Use
If you have a septic system or aging plumbing, you undoubtedly have plenty of restrictions on how your toilets and showers can be used. Don’t expect your guests to remember your requests for certain flushing habits or restrictions on specific products. By the time the first day is over, they’re likely to fall back into whatever habits they use at home. Prepare some small, neatly written cards on how to best utilize your home’s plumbing and post them up in relevant places. Whenever possible, try to address plumbing issues first instead of expecting guests to conform to your requirements.
Inspect the Hot Water Heater
The demand is often hardest on the hot water heater of the home when guests arrive. Even just two or three people taking daily showers will drain the heater twice as often as usual. If the water heater is already on the edge of breaking down, hosting holiday guests and washing up all the dishes may be what pushes it over the edge. A quick water heater inspection is the best way to determine whether the appliance is up to the challenge or not. Replacing it just in time for your guests will not only ensure reliable performance but may also save you money thanks to improved efficiency.
Clean the Drains Yourself
One simple task you can take on yourself before holiday guests arrive is drain cleaning and deodorization. If you have metal or clay drain pipes, you can use boiling water to flush any odor-producing slime out of the kitchen and bathroom sink drains. This trick also works on showers with compatible drain pipes. For PVC drains, try a cup of baking soda flushed with two cups of white vinegar, then a copious amount of cold water after one minute. This bubbles out most of the debris for cleaner and better smelling drains.
Schedule a plumbing inspection or timely repairs with Joe the Plumber to get your home in Cypress, Texas, in shape for the holidays. Should emergencies arise after your guests arrive, we are also available to help put your vacation back in working order.
