Don’t Let These Common Plumbing Problems Put a Damper on Your Holidays

With the holidays just around the corner, the last thing you want to have to deal with is an overflowing toilet or a clogged drain. Unfortunately, the holidays can be a bad time for your plumbing because your disposal gets used more, you have guests using your bathroom appliances more and in short, your plumbing takes some extra wear and tear.

However, if you know what kinds of problems are common and how to prevent them, you’ll have merry and bright holidays, minus the plumbing issues.

A Running Toilet

A running toilet can be an annoyance and waste a lot of water, but it can do worse: it can flood your bathroom. If you hear a trickling sound coming from your toilet that lasts for long periods of time after you flush it, or even constantly, your toilet’s flapper is likely broken. This means water is constantly draining out of your toilet, which is constantly refilling itself.

How to Prevent It: Keep an eye on your toilet to make sure it is draining and filling properly. If you think there is a problem, contact a Long Island plumber right away, so you won’t be dealing with a flood during your holiday party.

Smelly and Clogged Kitchen Sink Drains

Your smelly drain may seem like a very small problem, but if you aren’t careful it can lead to bigger issues. If your sink smells or doesn’t drain properly, it probably means it is clogged or that there is a problem like broken or rotting pipes.

How to Prevent It: You can prevent clogged and smelly drains by being careful what you dispose of. Don’t put anything too large down the drain and throw food scraps into the garbage, rather than down the drain. When you run the disposal, make sure the faucet is also running to help things pass through the system. Regular professional drain cleanings will also decrease the chance you’ll have to deal with a kitchen sink problem. If you’re looking for a plumber in Plainview, or a plumber in 11803, we offer drain-cleaning services.

Frozen Pipes

When the weather gets cold, your pipes are at risk of freezing. Frozen pipes can burst, causing extensive plumbing damage and flooding, which can lead to flooring and drywall damage.

How to Prevent It: Before it got too cold this winter, you should have drained the water out of your air conditioner and turned off or drained any other indoor or outdoor appliances that you don’t use during the winter. You can also prevent frozen pipes by adding pipe insulation around exposed pipes in your home. If your pipes do freeze, you can use a blow dryer to slowly warm them until the water is flowing again.

Don’t let these plumbing problems ruin your holiday plans this year. Plan ahead and keep an eye on problem areas and you’ll have warm holidays and a happy new year! Remember, Pat Dolan Plumbing, a Long Island plumber, has 24-hour emergency services, just in case you find yourself in a bind.