South West Plumbing encourages safe plumbing practices during the holidays

Leading Seattle plumber offers advice to keep Thanksgiving, Christmas gatherings running smoothly

SEATTLE — Nov. 13, 2020 — South West Plumbing, Seattle’s leading provider of plumbing services, is offering several tips to help prevent a plumbing disaster during the holidays. 

“Plumbing systems are under a good amount of strain during the holidays because of repetitive use,” said Darrell Paul, general manager of South West Plumbing. “Because of shortcuts like pouring grease down the drain, they are also susceptible to major issues.”

With the added stress that comes with the holidays, South West Plumbing offers up these tips to help plumbing systems survive the holidays:

• Prevent frozen pipes: Frozen pipes can be an expensive repair. Fit pipes with proper insulation, either in sleeve form or wrapping. The entire pipe should be insulated from the point where a home’s main water line comes from the ground to where it enters the heated space in a home.
• Be mindful of what is flushed down the drain: Fats and cooking oils solidify in pipes and choke drains. Paper towels and sanitary wipes will not dissolve like toilet paper and can create clogs even when wet. Kitty litter should also be avoided because its clay-like nature can create major plumbing issues.
• Use the garbage disposal properly: The kitchen can be the most important area during the holidays. It can also be the area that causes the most issues with the garbage disposal often being misused. Disposals are not able to grind up hard seeds or bones very well, if at all. This can cause a disposal to clog or even damaged.
• Make sure the water heater runs properly: To keep a water heater running properly, flush out the system at least once a year. Sediment that builds up on the bottom of the tank can reduce the amount of water the tank can hold, reducing the efficiency of the unit. Also, check the water temperature on the unit. It should read between 115-120 degrees Fahrenheit. Exceeding 125 degrees may create a scalding hazard.

“No one wants a holiday memory tarnished because of a plumbing disaster,” Paul said. “If you follow these tips, you will be able to create the right memories that will last a lifetime without the stress.” 

About South West Plumbing
South West Plumbing was started over 35 years ago by Bill and Connie Buckingham out of their home with just one truck. All South West Plumbing plumbers and technicians are certified and come prepared with fully-stocked trucks that have everything they need to do the job right. We have friendly, professional, and uniformed technicians that are trained on an ongoing basis to ensure that they can perform your plumbing service with both precision and accuracy. We are the plumbing service company YOU can count on. For more information, visit our site  or give us a call. 

###