How to avoid plumbing issues when hosting family

Written by Eamonn Ryan

• • The last thing you need before a holiday get-together is a home repair emergency
  • Make a ‘toilet paper only’ rule
  • Repair leaky taps

With the holiday season just behind us, homeowners across the country can reflect on plumbing disasters when having hosted family and friends for dinners and parties – and prepare for the next bout of holidays. It’s easy to forget one very important factor: ensuring your home’s plumbing is ready to accommodate your guests.

Colder weather is arriving in South Africa, and with it the possibility of all kinds of plumbing problems. The last thing you need before a family dinner, or an annual holiday get-together is a home repair emergency. Here are some helpful tips to help you lower the chance of experiencing a plumbing disaster so you can enjoy time with those closest to you.

• • Regularly clean your drain: It’s common to use a basic drain cleaning product for a clogged sink or bathtub, but this is a short-term answer that will often not resolve the problem in the long run. Therefore, it’s important to regularly clean your drain before the issue arises so that your guests won’t experience a clogged shower drain or an unwanted odour from the sink. To prevent drain clogs, consider investing in a hair catcher for your shower drain and a beard apron for your bathroom sink. These are often inexpensive and can be purchased online or at home goods stores.
• • Enforce a ‘toilet paper only’ rule: Toilet blockages are one of the most common plumbing problems, and they’re often caused by things being flushed that shouldn’t be – anything that isn’t toilet paper or waste. Common culprits often found in blocked toilets include paper towels, pads, cleaning wipes and cotton balls. So, if you’re planning to have overnight guests, be aware that they might not follow the ‘toilet paper only’ rule. Therefore, consider posting a sign in all bathrooms or toilets reminding guests not to flush anything other than their deposits and toilet paper. At the same time make sure you have an appropriately sized wastebasket for them to dispose of non-flushable items.
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• • Repair leaky taps: A home has many taps — in bathrooms, the kitchen, and outside. A tap that leaks or just drips is not only annoying for guests to listen to, but it also increases your water bill and can even potentially cause damage to your home’s plumbing. Whether the leak is due to corrosion, defective parts, or mineral deposits, it’s crucial to find a solution or hire a professional plumber to take care of it.
• • Check your geyser: When did you last have your geyser checked? If not for some time, then there’s every chance that guests may not enjoy the hottest showers during their stay. Before your guests arrive, schedule an appointment with your regular plumber if you haven’t done so recently, and if your geyser is over a decade old, consider acquiring a newer model that’s more energy efficient. Be sure to also wait at least 15 minutes between showers so that hot water is adequately replenished.

If you’re encountering signs of a clog, leak, or insufficient hot water — or if you want to schedule a tune-up to prevent these common holiday issues, call your plumber.