Around the House: Creating the Right Landscaping

Posted on: 13 October 2015

The holidays are fast approaching! Whether you're anticipating a house full of guests or planning to host big family dinners, the holidays can put a big strain on your home's plumbing system. Preparing your plumbing in advance can help you avoid disasters.

Clean Out Your Garbage Disposal

With all the cooking and baking you'll be doing this holiday season, it's a good idea to clean your garbage disposal. Pour vinegar into your disposal, then chase the vinegar with ice cubes and salt and turn the disposal on. The vinegar will help eat away the organic material inside your garbage disposal, while the salt and ice will sharpen the blades and scrub down the walls inside the unit. Run the water as you grind up the ice cubes.

Clear Your Drains

Slow drains may not be a big deal when it's just you and a few family members using your sinks and bathtubs every day, but they sure can become a problem when extra people start using your bathrooms and kitchen. If your drains are slow, use these tools to clear them:

• Plumber's auger. This inexpensive tool consists of a stiff cable with a sharp, corkscrew-like end. When the cable is inserted into a pipe, the corkscrew end pierces the clog and extracts it without damaging the pipe. You can use a plumber's auger to clear drains that are clogged or close to clogged.
• Natural homemade drain cleaner. Put water on to boil, then pour vinegar down your drain. Chase the vinegar with baking soda, then chase that with boiling water. This homemade drain cleaner can be used to help clear a slow drain. This drain cleaner can also be used to prevent clogs in pipes with a predisposition for this problem.

The above methods are intended to clear simple clogs in your drains. However, if your drains are displaying symptoms of a sewer clog, this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by a plumber. Be on the lookout for these symptoms:

• Waste water flushed down one drain makes water appear in another drain.
• Gurgling noises when water passes through drain pipes.
• Multiple drains in the house are slow.

Keep an Emergency Number for a Plumber on Hand

Even if you are able to get your plumbing completely ready for the upcoming holidays, you should still keep the number for an emergency plumber on hand. This way, if you do run into big plumbing problems over a holiday weekend, you'll be sure to have help. If you don't know the number of a plumber, consider a plumbing company like Hilmans Plumbing.