Keep the Holiday Cheer Flowing—Not Your Pipes

The holidays are meant for warm lights, soft music, and long dinners that stretch into the evening. A backed-up sink or an ice-cold shower can break that spell in seconds. When your house fills with family, every pipe and valve works more complicated than usual. A little attention now can spare you a frantic call to the plumber later and let you stay focused on stories around the table instead of puddles on the floor.

Treat the Kitchen Sink Kindly

Think of the kitchen sink as mission control during the holidays. Turkey fat, cookie dough, and potato peels seem harmless when you drop them down the drain, but they are trouble in disguise. Grease cools and hardens inside pipes, coating everything that follows. Starchy foods swell and cling to that layer, creating a sludge that narrows the line until water has nowhere to go.

Before the big cooking day, clear out space under the sink for a grease jar or metal can. When you finish roasting or frying, pour warm drippings into the jar, let them cool, then toss the whole thing in the trash. Place a compost bowl on the counter for peels, grounds, and eggshells so helpers won’t absent-mindedly flick them into the disposal. If you use the disposal, flip on a strong stream of cold water first, run it while the blades spin, and count to five before shutting it off. The moving water ushers tiny particles through the trap and out to the main line instead of letting them settle in the elbows.

Give Bathroom Drains a Head-Start

A full guest list means the toilets see more flushes, the showers run longer, and the sinks fill with extra toothpaste. Toilets are designed for one job only: removing human waste and regular paper. Yet every holiday, plumbers pull cotton swabs, wipes, makeup pads, and even small toys from pipes. Misflushes aren’t just embarrassing, they can cause a whole-house backup that halts every bathroom at once.

Set each bathroom up for success. Put a small, lidded trash can beside the toilet and ensure it’s visible enough that guests don’t need to search. Stack plenty of spare toilet rolls near the tank so no one feels forced to improvise with tissues or paper towels. If a toilet takes more than a single flush or makes a slow, swirling motion, pour half a bucket of hot but not boiling water into the bowl from waist height. The extra push can dislodge minor blockages. Follow with a plunger if needed, then test again before everyone arrives.

Unused guest baths often trap stale water in their pipes, allowing soap scum to harden. Two days before the party, run hot water in the sink and tub for a minute and swirl a cup of baking soda down each drain. That simple step freshens traps and sweeps away lingering buildup.

Show Your Water Heater Some Love

Winter is peak season for water-heater complaints. Cold incoming water forces the unit to heat longer, and back-to-back showers can drain the tank in minutes. If your heater hasn’t had attention in more than a year, plan a thirty-minute tune-up this weekend. Turn off the electricity or gas to the unit, connect a garden hose to the drain valve, and flush out a few gallons until the water runs clear. Sediment removal improves efficiency and lowers energy bills.

Glance at the thermostat dial: 120°F is the sweet spot. Any hotter risks scalding and burdens the burner or elements. Listen for popping or rumbling; these sounds indicate hardened minerals at the bottom of the tank. While you’re there, scan for rust streaks, wet patches, a faint metallic smell, and early signs that a tank is reaching the end of its life. If your unit is nudging past the ten-year mark, compare replacement models now while you can think clearly, not under duress.

Don’t Overlook Outdoor Fixtures

If you live where temperatures dip below freezing, outdoor spigots can crack overnight and send water rushing into the wall. Disconnect hoses, drain them, and attach inexpensive foam covers to exposed faucets. In milder climates, focus on yard drains. Falling leaves collect in grates and gutters, then wash toward your foundation during holiday rainstorms, sometimes pushing water back through basement floor drains. A quick sweep with a gloved hand clears that threat in minutes.

A Simple Seasonal Plumbing Checklist

You don’t need specialized tools, just steady habits. 

• Pour grease into a jar, compost the scraps, and run cold water through the disposal. 
• Keep trash cans visible, plungers handy, and spare paper in plain sight. 
• Flush unused bathrooms with hot water two days before guests arrive. 
• Check the water-heater thermostat and drain a few gallons to chase out sediment. 
• Twist off garden hoses and cap outdoor faucets or clear yard drains of leaves. 

Each task takes less time than brewing a pot of coffee, yet together they form a reliable safety net.

Know When to Call a Professional Plumber

Even with all this care, problems can sneak in. Watch for warning signs: drains that gurgle after every use, sewer odors drifting from the laundry room, water pressure that drops without reason, or sudden bursts of cold water during a shower. These clues often point to deeper blockages or failing components that a homeowner can’t solve with a plunger. Scheduling a preventive inspection before the relatives pull up is money well spent, especially in older homes with original piping.

Enjoy a Hassle-Free Holiday

Clear drains, warm showers, and hassle-free cooking keep you focused on what matters most: sharing stories, passing pie, and soaking up time with the people you love. These simple checks should keep your plumbing quiet all season, but life sometimes has other plans. If a stubborn clog, leaky pipe, or icy shower tries to crash the party, call All Star Plumbing Service. We’re on standby 24/7, even on the holidays, to get everything flowing again fast, so you can return to making memories instead of mopping floors.