The holidays are here, and with it come the guests! Unfortunately, that means that your sewer lines might be under more duress than usual. Here are a few pieces of advice to help you survive the holidays without having to call for emergency sewer cleaning service.
When You’re Cleaning The House: If you’re having people over, the amount of time you spend cleaning will probably dwarf the amount of time they’re there. This, of course, means taking time to clean the toilets, and when you do so with antibacterial wipes or paper towels there’s always the temptation to just flush them to get those disgusting things out of your house. You’re probably also trying to avoid the chemical smell from lingering in your bathroom’s trash can. But imagine how much worse it will be if they get stuck in your sewer line and come back up later. Do yourself a favor and don’t flush them. Just have a grocery bag nearby; it’s just as easy to toss your paper towels into the grocery bag as it is to put them in the toilet. When you’re done, just toss the bag in the trash.
The Constant Use: If you have a typical family of four, your sewer system is accustomed to a certain amount of use. If you’re not having problems right now, there’s a good chance that there’s an equilibrium between what it can handle and what you throw at it. But when you have a large number of guests over, you could be tasking it beyond its limits. This constant use of the sinks and toilets could finally send it over the edge. That’s why it’s a good idea to have some preventive sewer cleaning and drain service before everyone arrives.
The Meal Cleanup: A good guest will at least offer to help clean up (sure, they don’t always expect you’ll take them up on it, but at least they offered!) If you say yes, maybe they’ll help with the dishes. Watch them closely!
We know we sound like a broken record, but there are two main reasons people need sewer cleaning: roots and grease. And unless you’re serving an inordinate amount of ginger, it’s the grease that they’ll absentmindedly send down the drain! Make sure they’re not sending any grease down your sinks.
The Guest’s Habits: If you’re having people over for a single meal, there’s only a certain amount of damage they can do (which is still a lot). But if they’re staying the night, that expands exponentially. Is Aunt Martha accustomed to just washing her dental floss down the drain? Did Uncle Frank choose this weekend away as the perfect time for his once-a-year back shaving in your shower? Is your nephew determined to find out just how much toilet paper your system can handle? It’s behind closed doors, and you can’t watch your guests every minute. If your drains have been running slow, the best thing to do is own up to it and warn people that your sewer lines are taxed. Better to be a little embarrassed than to be a lot embarassed and having to mop up your guest bathroom floor.
What’s the best way to avoid these problems in the first place? Well, preventive maintenance can certainly get you ready for all of those guest coming. If slow drains throughout the house make you suspect that you could use some sewer cleaning, give us a call for rooter service. We’ll clean out all of your drains and all of your sewer lines so that you’re completely ready for whatever the guests throw at them. Schedule your drain cleaning with Garvin’s sewer service today!
