The holidays mean a lot to people. It means family. It means expressing our thanks. It means the giving of gifts. It means clogged drains.

We know, we know. That last one doesn’t have quite the same impact, does it? But clogged drains are a very common problem during the holiday season. There are many reasons for this, including the fact that more food than usual is being prepared and that guests in homes are using plumbing systems that they are not really familiar with.

In today’s post, we’ve put together some simple tips to help you to minimize the risk of clogged drains in your home. If you notice any signs of trouble, contact our professional plumbers in Pearl, MS, right away. The longer you take to do so, the greater the risk of serious problems shortly down the road. When it comes to clogged drains, prevention is key!

Don’t Let the FOG Roll Into Your Holidays!

No, we don’t mean a thick mist in the morning. We’re talking about fat, oil, and grease. FOG is something that must never be poured down the drain. In fact, you shouldn’t even put greasy pots into the sink to soak! It’s not quite as convenient, but pour FOG off into containers where it can cool and then be thrown out, or just let it cool in pans and then scrape it right into the trash.

The problem with FOG is that it is liquid when it is hot, but it congeals as it cools off. When that happens, it can stick to the inner surfaces of your pipes. It will catch other bits of food scraps that make it down the drains, and then it will really start to build up serious clogs. Don’t be afraid to remind guests who want to help with the dishes about FOG, either.

Don’t Flush the Wrong Items

We cannot stress this enough. Leave a trash can very visibly placed in your bathroom, preferably right by the toilet. You don’t want to be knocking on the door to make sure that everyone knows what can and cannot go down the toilet, obviously, but you should give a quick reminder. This is especially important if you are hosting individuals with babies or young kids.

Waste and toilet paper. That’s it. No, those wipes that claim to be flushable should not be flushed. We’ve unclogged many a sewer line filled with those things. If you want to avoid drain and sewer problems when your bathroom plumbing is working harder than ever, then you need to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Don’t Let Guests Abuse Drains

When you host guests for a weekend or longer, someone is going to be shaving. Make sure that someone is not just washing their hair and whiskers down the drain. Keep drain guards in place over your drains, and ask your guests to empty them when they are done showering or shaving.

If anyone is shaving in the sink, ask them to wipe out the bowl before running the water to clean up. You are not overstepping any boundaries by keeping your plumbing secure!

Schedule your plumbing services with Environment Masters, Inc. Service within hours, not days. Guaranteed.