The family is in town, food prep consumes most of the day, and no one wants to do the dishes – we’ve all been there.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to come together and appreciate the things around us, but if your home is anything like the home’s we’ve worked on, Thanksgiving exerts an unusual amount of stress on your plumbing system.
Tip #1: Use Your Garbage Disposal The ‘Right Way’
When disposing of waste in your garbage disposal, ensure only small items are entering the system. More importantly, ensure these particles are mixed with running water as they enter the disposal. It’s recommended you do not put corn husks, grease, bones, potato skins, egg shells, lettuce or metal in your disposal. In most cases, a clog will not occur but if it does DO NOT reach into the disposal or use harsh chemicals. A plunger is a common household solution to a clogged disposal, or you may need a plumber.
Tip #2: Trash Can Comes First
Most of the common food we prepare on Thanksgiving is high in fat, bones, and other large waste – all things that cause undue stress on disposals, drains, or pipes. This is exactly why your trashcan should be the first place you dispose of food waste. A good rule of thumb to follow is using the trash can for anything you can hold in your hand and the garbage disposal for anything else.
Tip #3: Respect The Toilet
It’s not uncommon for the amount of people in a home to double or triple on Turkey day, which means more stress on your bathroom and plumbing system. Firstly, make sure no food waste is being disposed in the toilet. Following the above two tips, no food waste should enter the bathroom. Additionally, I would recommend reminding your guests what can and cannot be flushed, as well as any plumbing issues or hazards that exist in your home.
Tip #4: Be Aware Of Your Plumbing
It’s important to consider any plumbing issues before you add more stress to the system. Ensure your home plumbing is in good condition, or make a note of potential hazards in your system. As an example, you may be aware of a drain, pipe, or toilet that particularly cause problems with general use. Contact a plumber before exerting more pressure on the system, or make sure your guests are aware of how to handle the hazard.
Do you need help with your thousand oaks plumbing? Consider CRC Plumbing as a resource to answer and assist with any plumbing needs you may have. Contact Us.
It’s not uncommon for families to face plumbing issues at this time of the year, below you will find a video that provides some details on how we solve one of the most frequent problems: clogged drains.