Plumbing Tips To Keep In Mind During Your Summer Cookout Or Barbecue
Summer brings with it a lot of fun opportunities to get together with family and friends. You might have a cookout on a random weekend or get everyone together for a barbecue on the 4th of July. But all of those extra people (and the extra food) can wreck havoc on your plumbing system if you're not careful. With that in mind, here are some tips to remember to keep your plumbing in good shape this summer.
Remember Grease Does Not Belong in the Drain
After the cookout is over, it's time to clean off everyone's plate as well as all of your cooking tools. But if these items are all covered in grease, barbecue sauce, and other gunk, you'll want to be very careful about rinsing all of this stuff down the kitchen drain. Too much gunk will cause a clog and a back up in your plumbing system. Consider serving food on paper plates that can be thrown away in the trash instead. Scrape any leftovers into the trash as well instead of down the drain, and your plumbing will be more likely to survive the summer.
Educate People About Your Septic Tank
If your home has a septic system, you will want to make sure people take it easy in the bathroom. You don't want them flushing anything besides waste and toilet paper down the drain. Napkins and paper towels from the barbecue are a no-go. Putting the wrong thing into a septic tank will make it much harder for waste to be broken down and will lead to a clog in short order.
Also, if multiple family members will be using your shower or laundry after going swimming in your backyard, make sure this extended water use is spaced out as much as possible to give your septic system time to recover.
Have the Number of a Plumber with Emergency Service Ready to Go
Nothing will bring a fun party to a screeching halt faster than a backed up sewer line. If you discover that someone has caused a clog in your kitchen or bathroom, you'll want to get the problem fixed right away before the entire party notices. A local plumber might be able to ride in like the Calvary to save the day.
Be mindful of your plumbing or septic system while enjoying yourself this summer. For best results, contact a local plumber for a maintenance check up before the festivities begin.