21 Nov Clogged Sink and Drain Tips for the Holidays

Have A Clogged Sink?

There’s never a good time for a clogged sink or pipe, but during the holidays they can be downright catastrophic. No one wants to deal with blocked drains while also dealing with a packed house of guests and a fridge packed with leftovers. Below are some tips from Benjamin Franklin Plumbing on how to keep plumbing problems out of the picture this Thanksgiving.

It’s Not Dressing That’s Stuffing Your Pipes

The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shipping day of the year, but did know that it’s also the busiest day of the year for plumbers?  When homeowners begin to clean the kitchen after their Thanksgiving feasts, many are unaware that any hot grease, oil, and fat poured down the sink will eventually congeal after cooling. Not only can this greasy residue stop up your kitchen pipes and give you a clogged sink, but other improper food waste disposal methods can make the problem worse; leftover bones, poultry skins, and vegetable rinds are difficult to break down and can cause garbage disposal problems if they’re dumped in the sink rather than the trash can.

Another factor that can contribute to drain blockage over the holidays is increased usage. Since Thanksgiving dinners are often family affairs, many households are crowded with visiting relatives. Pipes that are being used more frequently, like in bathrooms, by more family members are more likely to become clogged with hair, hygiene products, and the like.

How to Keep Your Pipes Clog-Free

It’s always a good idea to get in touch with a qualified plumbing contractor and take care of any plumbing issues before the holidays arrive and get busy. Our team at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offer full plumbing inspections to locate any potential issues to ensure your home is ready for the season. There are also some easy tips you can utilize on the day to ensure your holiday isn’t bothered with unwanted leaks or clogs.

1. Dispose of fats, oils, and grease either by consolidating them in a container or by wiping them up with paper towels. Then, throw the paper towels away or empty the container into the trash. Do not pour the residue down the sink.
2. Avoid dumping stringy food waste, like potato or apple skins, down the garbage disposal because it’s difficult to break down and can cause a clogged sink or pipe and garbage disposal issues. Throw it in the trash can instead.
3. Ask houseguests to wait 10 to 15 minutes between showers to give the drains time to clear. It also ensures the last person to use the bathroom won’t have a freezing cold shower by giving the water heater time to warm up between uses.
4. Don’t flush hygiene products such as cotton balls, facial pads, baby wipes, or Q-tips down the toilet, and make sure your guests refrain from doing so as well. This is a simple way to avoid a clogged toilet, which is never pleasant with a full house of guests!
5. Instead of waiting until the garbage disposal is full to turn it on, let it run for a minute before throwing food away. Remember to use enough water when running the disposal as well.
6. By getting rid of food properly and staying mindful of how often your pipes are being used, you can avoid a clogged sink and keep your plumbing system from getting too full this Thanksgiving!

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing’s top priority is safety and we want to make sure all of our customers have a safe and happy holiday season. If you are going to be hosting over the holidays, get a plumbing inspection from one of our highly trained techs. We can ensure your home’s plumbing is running efficiently and save you the stress of a clogged sink or two!

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Tyler serves the East Texas cities of Kilgore, Longview, Tyler, and Whitehouse with a team of certified plumbers. In addition to emergency plumbing repair, some of the plumbing services provided by the company include faucet repair, drain services, toilet repair, plumbing fixture installations, tub and shower installations, kitchen sink repair, faucet installation, water heater repair/replacement, and garbage disposal replacement. Call us today at (903) 730-6611 to schedule an appointment!