Wash These Embarrassing Holiday Plumbing Problems Down the Drain in Reading, MA
The holidays are truly a special time for families in the Northeast, as they gather together to celebrate and honor the themes of the season. Unfortunately, all that cooking, feasting, and visiting can put a strain on your home’s plumbing and plug up our festivities.
At Waldman Plumbing and Heating, Inc., the holidays are an especially important time of year for us too, which is why our team of experienced and dedicated plumbing technicians are ready to tackle your most embarrassing holiday plumbing problems in Reading MA and the North Shore. We’re pleased to offer a 24/7 emergency service to guarantee we’ll be by your side when you need it most.
Here are five common holiday plumbing problems that can be remedied with simple solutions.
Not enough hot water for everyone
Don’t allow your guests to suffer the disappointment of a cold or lukewarm shower! In order to accommodate the increased demand for hot water during the holidays, try turning your water heater up to boost its capacity. Prevent injuries such as burns or scalding by keeping the temperature below 125 degrees. The best way to avoid the annoyance of too little hot water to install a tankless water heater. That way there will always be enough hot water to go around!
Backed up shower drains
A clogged drain can ruin showers for you and your guests even if there is plenty of hot water to go around. An accumulation of hair and soap residue will clog the drain and cause a backup of shower water, making for a pretty unpleasant shower. You can prevent this by regularly cleaning your drains and using a drain screen to catch debris before it find its way down the drain .
Clogged toilets
Modern toilets are impressively efficient, but waste such as food, paper towels, and sanitary products are things that should not be flushed down the toilet. Even “flushable” wipes can cause clogs! To avoid the embarrassment of a clogged, overflowing toilet, put a waste basket close to your toilet. This allows you and your guests to safely dispose of unflushable waste. Keep a plunger handy to remove minor clogs just in case. A toilet that constantly clogs despite taking these steps may have a flapper that only opens partially after the toilet is flushed or a has water levels set at the incorrect level, so be sure to keep this mind as well.
A toilet that doesn’t flush correctly
Everyone knows how frustrating it is to have to wiggle a toilet handle just right in order to flush it. Do you really want your guests to have to do this? If the toilet handle is loose and needs to be “jiggled” in order to flush the toilet, you can fix this by simply shortening the chain. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, we’re more than happy to help! Shortening the chain keeps it taut and prevents it from slipping under the flapper once the toilet is flushed, stopping it from running. Keep an eye open for damaged or worn flappers as they may also cause similar problems with flushing.
Garbage disposal problems
Fats, grease, and oils can solidify in your garbage disposal, causing clogs, unpleasant odors and may even lead to a broken garbage disposal over time. Yikes! Always throw fatty food and grease in the garbage rather than putting it in your garbage disposal. Starchy vegetable peels, bones, and even coffee grounds should be kept out of the garbage disposal and tossed in the trash or compost pile. When your garbage disposal is on be sure you’re running cold water. You can remove foul odors with common household ingredients such as ice cubes, vinegar, and even regular table salt. Odors that are especially strong can be cleared with a biodegradable drain cleaner.
The holiday season can be hectic enough without embarrassing plumbing problems, so give us a call with any questions or concerns at the first sign of trouble. We’re proud to serve the greater Reading, MA area this holiday season just as we have for over 100 years!