Avoiding Holiday Plumbing Problems: 5 Tips

Imagine a moment later this month: everyone has finished their Thanksgiving dinner, and the person who drew the short straw for post-dinner clean up accidently pours fat from your turkey or roast down the drain.

Fast forward 24 hours, and where are you? Probably calling for emergency plumbing repairs because that fat has hardened inside your plumbing pipes, trapping food particles and making water flow impossible.

At Woodruff Energy, we know this scenario all too well, because it happens every year. Thanksgiving is the perfect time for a plumbing disaster – whether in your sink or in your garbage disposal, where stringy pulp can really gum up the works.

Preventing A Holiday Plumbing Emergency

Here are five tips to avoid some of these problems:

1. Pour any excess grease from turkey or roast pans into a disposable container and let it congeal; then discard the container in the trash. If that’s not possible, clean up oil and grease with paper towels and discard them.
2. Be mindful of what you put in your garbage disposal; in particular, avoid putting in the following items:
   • Bones
   • Celery, pumpkin or potato flesh, or other fibrous foods
   • Coffee grounds
   • Egg shells
   • Fruit pits
   • Pasta 
   • GREASE!
3. Always use plenty of water in your disposal, and let it run at least 20-30 seconds
4. TP only in your toilet!
5. If you have any plumbing issues, take care of them before the holidays arrive.

Avoid plumbing disasters this coming holiday season – follow these tips and enjoy! If you do end up with a plumbing issue, don’t worry – the plumbing pros at Woodruff will bail you out. Contact us today to learn more, or to schedule a pre-holiday plumbing inspection in NJ.