Prevent Plumbing Problems this Memorial Day
You’ve got the grill prepped, the new smoker dialed in, and your landscaping looks like something out of a magazine. Your Laguna Beach backyard is officially party-ready. Before your guests roll in for Memorial Day, there’s just one more thing to check:
Is your plumbing prepared?
A mother knows these things: the burgers might be crowd-pleasers, but an overflowing toilet or a broken garbage disposal can halt the happiness faster than you can ask who brought the potato salad.
Keep the party and your pipes going with these simple pre-party plumbing checks:
Garbage Disposal Do’s and Don’ts
You’re going all out—burgers, grilled veggies, fresh-cut fruit for the kids, and your famous strawberry rhubarb pie that’s been requested since April. With that kind of action, your garbage disposal is doing double duty.
Before you start treating it like a trash can and pie hits the fan, remember:
- Toss fruit pits, bones, corn husks, and eggshells into the trash.
- Avoid pasta, rice, and potato peels. Those starchy, sticky foods clog and wrap around your blades.
- Run water while using your disposal and keep it going for a few seconds after. This helps clear the system like a glass of warm milk helps your kids sleep at night.
And if your disposal’s been making strange noises or not working like it used to, don’t wait for it to quit on you mid-party. We’ll give it the tune-up it needs now so you don’t have to stress later.
Bathroom Backup Prevention
Holiday weekends are a full marathon for your bathrooms. More people means more flushing, more handwashing, and more chances for something to go sideways.
Before your bathroom can’t catch a break, here’s your checklist:
- Give each toilet a test flush. Is it slow or weak? You might have a clog waiting to happen.
- Check for any funky smells or slow drains in the sinks. Use a safe drain cleaner like BioOne (a friendly bacteria that eats fats and food particles that collect in your drain) to break up any grime without damaging your plumbing.
If something feels off, don’t wait. Call Barker & Sons today, because a slow drain today could be a flood tomorrow, and nobody wants to spend their long weekend mopping up messes.
Heading Out of Town? Don’t Forget Your Water Line
If you’re the one skipping out of town for the long weekend, don’t leave your water line unsupervised.
Water leaks don’t believe in vacation, and the last thing you want to welcome you home after a weekend away is a foot of water in your home.
While you could turn off the main water line while you’re away, it’s best to have an automatic water shut-off valve installed instead. This device can sense leaks, both big and small, and shut off your water right away.
Prepare for Memorial Day with Barker and Sons
Don’t let a plumbing snafu get in the way of your Memorial Day plans. Whether you need a comprehensive plumbing inspection, your drains cleaned, or an automatic water shut-off installed, we’ve got you covered.
Give us a call; we’ll handle the pipes so you can focus on the pie, the people, and the perfect playlist.
