 | Braden Peak is the manager of Roto-Rooter Sewer, Drain, Septic and Grease Trap Service in Pittsburg, KS. A Girard native and a graduate of Pittsburg State University, he is a licensed sewer contractor and has been with the company since 2002. He can be reached at 620-231-5630 or by emailing kpp_rotorooter@yahoo.com. You can also become a fan of Roto-Rooter of Pittsburg on Facebook.
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Plumbing
2012-11-07 11:26:43
What precautions should I take to keep things in working order during the holidays?
Q- We are planning to have some family gatherings during the holiday season. What precautions should we take for our drain system with extra people in the house?
A- Most people never think about this question until it is too late so I am glad you brought it up. First of all, obviously your system is going to get much more use than normal depending on the amount of people you host. Although you didn’t specify whether you are connected to city sewer or have an onsite system, I will cover precautionary tips for both systems. In previous articles we have answered questions about both systems so I will skip to the most important tips to hopefully avoid an embarrassing plumbing disaster.
Regardless of which system you have, the best tip I can advise is to make sure your toilet(s) flush properly. They are going to get abused, especially if children are present. Kids tend to use more toilet paper than adults on most occasions so it is very important to have a toilet that is operating at its best. Speaking of toilet paper, for this occasion it is best to put away the soft quilted paper if you use it and buy a stock of thin ply paper that is septic safe. It will break apart and dissolve much quicker. This should be helpful should someone use too much. Also, hide the wet wipes. I generally don’t recommend flushing these on any occasion, but certainly not during a family gathering. Even though the box may say they are flushable, I can speak from experience and say they cause a lot of problems.
If you are connected to city sewer and have an older system, make sure the main lateral is clear of any tree roots especially if you’ve had problems in the past. Your line may have issues and the extra use could cause a back-up. Also, if you have neglected your septic system it might be best to have it inspected and/or pumped well before your guests arrive.
Last but certainly not least, make sure your kitchen sink is draining properly before your guests arrive and when it comes time to do the dishes, be sure to limit the use of the garbage disposal if you have one. If the disposal is used as a catch all for scrap food then your chances of a clogged drain are much greater. Even if you don’t have a disposal, make sure all plates have been wiped off before rinsing or placing them in the dishwasher.
I hope these tips will help you to have a smooth and enjoyable holiday gathering. The holidays are just around the corner so it’s best to be proactive with your drain system now to avoid the dreaded holiday disaster that seems to occur with households each year. Thanks for reading!
