The holidays are a time to spend time, and host, large amounts of friends and family at your home, and the last thing you want to have happen is your home drainage or heating system let you down. The primary reason they let you down, is because YOU let THEM down!

Preventative maintenance is easy. You simply have to commit to it, and it’s really not as expensive as you might think.

• Snake your main sanitary lateral – especially if you have 1 or more large trees in your front yard, and hasn’t been done in awhile.
• Clean your tub and shower drains – especially if you have hairy people in your house (men and women).
• Clean and check your furnace

When it comes to preparing and clearing food, protect your drainage system.

• NEVER put any type of grease down your line. Rinse your pans with paper towels and pitch put in trash
• Don’t put rice, pasta oats, or any food that will expand when it gets wet.
• Frying a Turkey this holiday season? Do not discard the spent cooking oil down your drain or toilets. This will solidify and cause major damage to your drain, and possibly the city main’s.

When it comes to using the facilities:

• Don’t flush “flushable” wipes, throw them in the garbage.
• Ladies…. feminine hygiene products are a primary cause of many of the bathroom stoppages that we take care of. They’re non-degradable and absorb fluid, making them expand, causing air flow problems and other stoppages down the line
• Don’t use drop-in tank cleaners. They break down toilet components

Give us a call. We’re Cleveland’s oldest plumbing company. We’re licensed, bonded and insured, and our techs have over 100 years of combined experience.

Other quick tips:

• Don’t use Drano. These are harsh chemicals that break down pipes, causing them to lose structural integrity.
• Know where your main water shut-off valve is. If all heck breaks lose, and pipes break, go to the main valve and shut-off your main supply.
• If your hot water heater is more than a decade old, think about getting a new one, because the time is coming.
• Be nice to your garbage disposal – stay away from the aforementioned pasta. No fibrous food like celery or artichokes