10 Tips to Avoid a Christmas Plumbing Emergency

Christmas. Tis the season for fun, laughter and family, not a plumbing emergency.

Imagine this: it’s Christmas Eve, the kitchen is chaos, the dishwasher is humming in the background and suddenly an untimely clogged drain or burst pipe ruins it all. Plumbing problems at Christmas can turn festive fun into a stressful nightmare quicker than you can say “unfortunate blocked drain”. That’s why knowing these 10 tips to avoid a Christmas plumbing emergency can save the day.

From protecting your hot water supply to managing your household toilets, these plumbing tips – combined with a little prep – can keep your Christmas day running smoothly and your plumbing disasters at bay.

1. Dispose of Grease Properly to Prevent Kitchen Sink Clogs

In their liquid state, grease, cooking oils and fat may seem harmless. You might even think of them as harmless enough to pour down the kitchen sink as a means of quick disposal. I mean, at Christmas when you prepare food and cook up a storm, it’s tempting to pour grease down the sink for convenience, right?

Well, let’s pour cold water on that idea immediately.

Once they cool down in your pipes, cooking fats and greases solidify, which causes a major clog. On the scale of Christmas plumbing problems, that can be a big one. Instead of pouring them down the drain, let them set. Empty your solidified fats into a plastic bag or an old jar and bin it. You can also use grease paper to mop up excess fat when washing pots and pans.

Disposing of grease in the bin, and not the drain, is one of the simplest ways to avoid blocked drains and costly plumbing disasters. It’s the easiest way to keep that same drain blockage-free this Christmas.

2. Use an Inexpensive Sink Strainer in High-Use Areas

A simple, cheap sink strainer can be your saviour at Christmas, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen. With all the food prep and washing up going on, it’s a highly effective way to stop any of the following from making their way down the drain and into the plumbing system:

• bits of bread products
• fibrous or stringy foods
• cooking fat
• eggshells
• cooking oils
• animal bones
• and other materials

The strainer acts as a barrier, catching these unwanted items before they cause an untimely clogged drain or even a major plumbing disaster. Thankfully, it’s a very easy-to-clean tool – simply empty the waste into the bin and give it a quick rinse.

Adding a strainer to your kitchen sink is a simple way to save yourself the hassle of dealing with blocked drains and keep the festive fun intact.

3. Avoid Putting Fibrous or Stringy Foods Down the Drain

Next on our list of 10 tips to avoid a Christmas plumbing emergency is steering clear of putting fibrous or stringy foods down the drain. We’re talking about things like celery, potato peels and other tough vegetables. Sure, they may seem harmless when you rinse them off the plate, but they’re notorious for causing blockages.

When you’re flat-out busy preparing Christmas lunch or dinner, the temptation to conveniently let these scraps find their way down the sink can be high. However, they can get tangled in your pipes and cause a plumbing disaster smack bang in the middle of your Christmas celebrations.

The safest option is to collect your food scraps in a plastic bag or bin them directly. This simple effort can save your household plumbing from avoidable blockages and costly repairs.

4. Don’t Flush Bathroom Items Down the Toilet

Let’s briefly move out of the kitchen and venture into the loo.

To avoid a blocked toilet, there are only three things you should flush down your toilet at home. They are the 3 Ps:

• Poo
• Pee
• (Toilet) Paper

Everyday bathroom items and plastic materials like sanitary napkins, facial pads, cotton balls and wet wipes commonly clog household toilets and can easily block your pipes. And, let’s be real, no one wants to deal with this kind of messy and stressful plumbing disaster.

To avoid this, especially if you’re hosting guests overnight, put a bin in each bathroom and remind everyone to use it to dispose of unwanted items discreetly.

5. Prepare for Increased Water Usage at Christmas

Christmas is often a time when family members come from interstate and abroad to celebrate the holiday. If you’re having guests stay over at home, expect their visit to put extra pressure on your household plumbing, especially your hot water supply.

With more people showering, doing dishes and using the bathroom, the demand on your system can quickly rise. To avoid unexpectedly finding yourself under an ice-cold shower, plan ahead by staggering your shower times. Encourage guests to wait a bit between showers so the system can recover. If you have a hot water system that maybe hasn’t been working to its usual standard of late, now is the time to check it out.

A little forward planning will mean everyone stays comfortable and your plumbing system doesn’t feel the strain.

6. Check Your Hot Water System Before the Holiday Madness

Speaking of which, your hot water system works hard all year round. Like us all, though, it can get maxed out at Christmas.

Extra showers, cleaning and cooking, even the extra dishwasher cycle; all can quickly expose any underlying issues with your hot water system. And the last thing you want is a lack of hot water when you need it most.

So the next on our list of 10 tips to avoid a Christmas plumbing emergency is to have a plumber service your system before the holiday rush. They’ll inspect for problems like leaks, low water pressure or unusual noises and provide the necessary fixes to get your water heater back to peak condition.

7. Clean Your Dishwasher for Best Performance

Ask anyone who has had a dishwasher installed recently and they’ll tell you that, at the end of a long Christmas day, you’ll find that it becomes your best friend. It’s always ready to deal with mountains of plates and glasses from all the festive feasting. But it’s only ready to step up if you keep it well-maintained. Neglecting essential maintenance can spell a Christmas plumbing disaster.

Before the silly season really kicks in, run your dishwasher’s cleaning cycle with a saltwater solution. This is an easy way to kill off unpleasant odours and clear away any build-up of grease. Check the filter for food debris and clear out any blockages so water can flow freely.

If your dishwasher struggles mid-cycle it could ruin your Christmas dinner preparations. You’re better off giving it a quick service now to avoid hassle later.

8. Use a Drain Snake for Your Shower Drain

At any other time of year, your typical shower drain will see an amount of hair, soap scum and other debris make their way into your plumbing system. At Christmas, especially with guests staying over and a few extra showers taken, that can increase significantly.

Each additional person showering means there is a greater chance of a blockage that can negatively affect your shower. Thankfully, a drain snake is a relatively cheap and easy solution that helps you address the problem before it gets out of hand. Just put it in the drain, twist and pull out the blockage.

As far as plumbing tips go, it’s a quick fix that will keep your household plumbing flowing without having to resort to potentially harmful chemical drain cleaners or other more drastic measures.

9. Don’t Rinse Bread and Eggshells Down the Sink

Let’s make our way back to the kitchen for the penultimate in our 10 tips to avoid a Christmas plumbing emergency. Like the stringy and fibrous food materials, bread and eggshells might seem harmless on the surface. For kitchen sinks though, they can be a major problem especially at Christmas.

When bread combines with grease and water, it forms a sticky dough-like substance that clings to pipes. Then you have eggshells that can break into sharp fragments that block the drains.

Instead of rinsing these down the sink, scrape them into the bin or a compost heap for proper disposal. Homeowners will find that by doing this small thing, you’ll protect your plumbing and your kitchen will be functional for Christmas dinner and well into the holiday period.

10. Call a Plumber for Professional Help

And the final of our list of essential plumbing tips for Christmas is one that applies 365 days a year.

When you have a plumbing emergency at Christmas there’s no substitute for a professional plumbing service. A licensed plumber has the training, skills and equipment to fix the problem quickly and prevent further damage and stress. They can assist you with:

• Major blockages: If a drain snake or home fix doesn’t work a plumber can sort out stubborn blockages safely.
• Burst pipes: Quick professional action will minimise water damage and get your plumbing system back to normal.
• Hot water system failure: A plumber will get your hot water back on ASAP, or replace your existing system if it’s beyond repair.
• Small leaks: Dripping can turn into big problems if left unattended.

A licensed plumber will get your household plumbing in top shape and save your Christmas from disaster. In a plumbing emergency, sometimes expert help is the best gift you can give yourself.

Keep the Festive Fun Flowing This Christmas

Christmas is a time for fun, not stress from a plumbing emergency. By following these 10 tips to avoid a Christmas plumbing emergency you can protect your household plumbing, and your home will be running smoothly.

Simple things like using a cheap sink strainer, disposing of food items in the bin, and staggering extra showers can make all the difference. Preparing ahead by checking your hot water system and clearing common shower drains will have you ready for guests. And if something does go wrong don’t hesitate to call a licensed plumber for professional help.

A little care and forethought now will save you from plumbing problems and let you enjoy the holiday with your loved ones.

Please note: Thanks for reading our blog “10 Tips to Avoid a Christmas Plumbing Emergency”. This information is provided for advice purposes only. Regulations differ from state to state, so please consult your local authorities or an industry professional before proceeding with any work. See our Terms & Conditions here.