Holiday Plumbing & HVAC Safety Tips
Holiday time is all about get togethers with family and friends. Extra visitors in your home can add some challenges for your home’s plumbing system. Oftentimes this is when we see the most clogged toilets and broken garbage disposals. There are several things you can do to ensure your house keeps working well through the holiday season.
Here are some of our best tips:
Garbage Disposals:
Disposals work extra hard this time of year. Make sure when you use them you run cold water for 10 – 15 seconds before and after use. When using your disposal, watch what you are putting down there. If you have a hard time chopping something up with a knife as you are doing your food prep., your disposal will also have a hard time. It is best not to stick hard or stringy substances down the disposal. If your disposal is a bit smelly, lemon peels with some baking soda will help freshen things up.
Toilet Care:
Before guests arrive it is a good idea to ensure that everything is in good working order. If your toilet has had any malfunction in recent past, it might be best to make sure that the mechanics inside of your toilet tanks are changed out. To avoid clogs while you have guests, switch to single ply toilet tissue. This tissue breaks down the fastest and causes the least amount of problems of all toilet tissues. This will ensure that your toilet keeps flushing well with all the extra use.
Gas Fireplace Safety:
With guests coming over, the first rule of safety is to keep children away from hot surfaces. Everyone loves the ambiance of a fireplace crackling as you visit with friends but one burned hand can ruin more than one evening. A hearth also makes a convenient place to set things as guest come in. This is not a good idea with a fire burning. Keep things away from the fireplace by at least three feet. One tool that works to protect the fireplace area is a fireplace screen which should definitely be used at such times.
Has your fireplace been serviced for the year? It is recommended that gas log fireplaces be serviced each year. A good clean and check will ensure that your unit is working properly and that you and your guests will be safe from carbon monoxide gas.
A Note About Ventless Fireplaces:
We do not recommend the use of ventless fireplaces. When you use a ventless fireplace that is working properly, it is using up the oxygen in your home. You should always crack a window to let in more air. If at any time it starts not working 100%, it will be letting toxic gasses into the air you are breathing. You should definitely have a carbon monoxide detector if you are using any gas fireplace.
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