Thursday, April 23, 2015

Plumbing problems on Thanksgiving

It’s this time of the year again when we all have to get that turkey out and have it roasted. Thanksgiving may be one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States but is also considered the busiest day for our plumbers. True enough. Plumbing in San Diego

Apart from family gatherings and dinners, Thanksgiving may mean too much work in the kitchen. We are not just talking about the holiday preparation here but the aftermath as well. Chula Vista Residential Plumbing

By cooking the turkey, we need to get rid of the fat and draining it down the kitchen sink which clogs the pipes and trapping the food scraps.

San Marcos Plumber BDP. This is where all the stress happens.

Cooks, sometimes inexperienced, overload garbage disposals with potato peelings, pumpkin pulp and other food waste. They fail to use enough water to flush them down the pipes, then put cooking grease and oil in the mix.

“Before you know it, they’ve sent a large slug of semi-solid material down, and it just stops,” said Chuck White, vice president of technical services at the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association, an industry group.

Congealed grease can harden into a consistency like candle wax or clay. Stringy pumpkin pulp takes on an epoxy-like hardness when dry.

source: Reuters

 The problem doesn’t stop there. Since Thanksgiving is a time for families, expect a handful of house guests (if you have a big family). People using the toilet and bathroom sink may dump trash suck as wipes and cotton balls. Del Mar Residential Plumber

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2004 that grease is the No. 1 cause of blocked sewers, at 47 percent of stoppages. In New York, the nation’s biggest city, grease causes 62 percent of blockages, according to a 2013 report by the city’s environmental department.

Blockages cause sewers to overflow. The EPA report said that there were between 23,000 and 75,000 U.S. sanitary sewer overflows a year, discharging up to 10 billion gallons (38 billion liters) of raw sewage.

Adam Krantz, managing director for government and public affairs at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, put the price tag for clearing blockages at hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Grease is “a very big issue,” he said.

source: Reuters

Population grew, problem worsened

Encinitas Residential Plumber. The problem has worsened as the US population grew while the pipes and sewer system have become fragile. Some plumber would put in more than 12 hours of work to help customers prepare for the holiday.

Clog-preventing tips

Here are some helpful tips you can do to avoid disaster, follow these and avoid the hassle. Plumbing Info

  • For houses with too many guests, allow a few minutes between showers to give time for the drains to be free.
  • When cooking or after cooking, never pour cooking oils or fats down the drain. They solidify causing the pipes to clog. Instead, wipe them with paper towels and throw them in trash.
  • Place a trash can inside the bathroom and remind house guests to use it for any garbage. Don’t throw pads, hair or cotton balls in the toilet.

OSHA Plumbers Since it is the busiest time of the year, it is important that you contact your local plumber even before the guests arrive to ensure that any problem will be addressed ahead of time.

BDP Air Conditioning & HVAC Chula Vista, CA
BDP Air Conditioning & HVAC Lakeside, CA
BDP Air Conditioning & HVAC El Cajon, CA
BDP Air Conditioning & HVAC La Mesa
BDP Air Conditioning & HVAC Lakeside, CA

Plumbers at Ace Contractors provide full plumbing service in San Diego area. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

photo credit: upload.wikimedia.org

 

 

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