The holidays are here, and our team at Penguin wants to share a few quick reminders to help your celebrations run smoothly. With kids home from school, family in town, and the kitchen working overtime for Christmas cookies and holiday favorites, your home’s plumbing system is getting a lot of use. From your garbage disposal working overtime to more bathroom traffic, this extra activity can put your pipes and drains under pressure.
Luckily, a little prevention now can go a long way toward preventing mid-party surprises like clogged drains or pipe leaks. To help, we’ve put together some simple holiday plumbing tips that can keep your pipes flowing, your drains clear, and your home running smoothly—even during the busiest holiday moments.
Here are a few plumbing tips to keep your home in good shape this holiday season.
1. Watch What Goes Down Your Kitchen Drain
Big meals and busy kitchens often mean more grease, food scraps, and coffee grounds going down the sink—and that’s where trouble starts. The best way to avoid clogs and backups is to know what your drain and garbage disposal can handle and what it can’t.
Foods to Keep Out of Your Sink and Disposal:
Big meals and busy kitchens can send more grease, fibrous scraps, and other debris down your drain than usual. Knowing which items can damage your pipes or clog your garbage disposal is the first step to keeping everything running smoothly.
Avoid sending these foods down your kitchen sink and disposal:
- Grease and oil harden as they cool, coating the inside of your pipes and trapping other debris.
- Fibrous foods like celery and onion skins can wrap around disposal blades and jam the system.
- Starchy foods such as potato peels or rice absorb water, swell, and block the drain.
- Bones are too hard for the disposal and can damage blades or clog the line.
- Egg shells are sometimes said to help sharpen disposal blades, but in reality, the gritty membrane can stick to pipes and make buildup worse.
- Coffee grounds settle in pipe bends and build up over time, eventually creating stubborn clogs.
Even small scraps can cause big problems once they make their way into your pipes. Tossing the wrong foods down the sink can quickly lead to clogs, slow drains, and a backed-up garbage disposal. A few mindful cleanup habits can help prevent those issues and keep everything in your kitchen flowing smoothly.
Smart Cleanup Habits to Protect Your Drains:
Even small scraps can create big problems once they enter your pipes. Following a few simple habits during cleanup can prevent clogs, reduce wear on your disposal, and keep your kitchen running smoothly throughout the holidays.
Follow these practical habits to help you flush away debris and prevent clogs:
- Pour grease and oil into a heat-safe container, let them cool, and throw them away with the trash. If you cook with oil frequently, you can also collect it in a sealed jar for recycling or proper disposal later.
- Throw fibrous foods, bones, and egg shells in the trash or compost bin instead of the sink. Composting vegetable scraps and eggshells gives them a second life in your garden, while hard scraps like bones belong in the trash.
- Run cold water before, during, and for about 15 seconds after using your disposal to help flush away debris completely and prevent residue from sticking to the pipes.
- Keep a sink strainer in place to catch small bits of food before they go down the drain—it’s one of the simplest ways to prevent clogs.
A little extra care during cleanup goes a long way toward keeping your kitchen plumbing running smoothly all season long.
2. Give Your Bathrooms a Little Extra Attention
With guests around, bathrooms and showers will be busier than usual. A few simple steps can prevent slow drains and awkward moments. Before the holiday rush begins, it’s a good idea to make a few quick checks and small adjustments so your bathrooms are ready for extra use.
Prepare Your Bathrooms
Getting ready before guests arrive prevents most bathroom hiccups like clogs and leaks. A few quick checks and supplies can keep drains clear and hot water steady.
Before guests arrive:
- Place a drain screen in each shower to catch hair and soap buildup.
- Keep a plunger and trash can in every bathroom — and make sure guests know what not to flush.
A little preparation ahead of time can prevent most plumbing headaches. With drain screens in place and essentials stocked, your bathrooms will be ready to handle the extra traffic that comes with family gatherings.
Keep Things Running Smoothly
Once guests are settled in, it also helps to share a few friendly reminders that keep things running smoothly for everyone.
Remind everyone:
- Only flush toilet paper—never wipes, cotton swabs, paper towels, or hygiene products. These materials don’t break down in water like toilet paper does. They’ll stay intact, tangle together, and can block your plumbing or cause a sewer backup.
- Wait 10 minutes between showers to give your drains time to clear and your water heater a chance to recover.
A quick reminder like this can make all the difference. When everyone knows how to use the bathroom plumbing responsibly, you’ll avoid unexpected clogs and keep the hot water flowing all weekend long.
3. Know How to Handle Leaks and Overflows
An overworked plumbing system or unnoticed leak can quickly turn into a flooded floor. The best way to stop water damage fast is to shut off the water at its source. That’s where your shut-off valves—also known as angle stops—come in. These small handles control the flow of water to individual fixtures, allowing you to quickly stop the supply to a sink, toilet, or appliance if something goes wrong.
Your shut-off valves are usually located under sinks, behind toilets, and near appliances like dishwashers or washing machines. Taking a few minutes to find them now can save you from panic later if a leak or burst pipe ever happens.
Quick plumbing tips for shut-off valves:
- Turn these valves back and forth once or twice a year to keep them from seizing up.
- If they’re stuck or corroded, don’t force them—call a trusted plumber to replace them.
- In case of a sudden leak or burst pipe, shut off the water right away to prevent major damage.
Knowing where your shut-off valves are—and making sure they work—gives you control when it matters most. A quick turn of a valve can stop a small problem from becoming major water damage, saving you time, stress, and costly repairs.
4. Clear Clogs Now—Before They Cause Problems
The holidays put extra strain on every part of your plumbing system. A slow drain today can easily become a full clog once the kitchen or bathroom is in constant use. Taking care of those blockages early helps you avoid backups, overflows, and unpleasant surprises while guests are around.
If you’re comfortable handling small fixes, a little DIY care can go a long way toward keeping your drains clear. But if you’d rather leave it to the pros, our expert plumbers are always happy to help.
A bathroom sink often drains slowly because of a blockage in the P-trap. This U-shaped pipe beneath the sink can collect hair, soap scum, and other debris over time. If you see a clog, try clearing your sink’s P-trap using the steps below or find other DIY methods to clear a clog in our guide, “How to Fix a Slow Bathroom Sink Drain.”
DIY steps for clearing your P-trap:
- Place a bowl or small bucket under the P-trap to catch any water that spills out.
- Use a wrench or your hands (if the fittings are loose enough) to slowly loosen the slip nuts on each end of the trap.
- Remove the trap and clear out any debris, buildup, or standing water inside.
- Rinse the trap with warm water before reattaching it.
- Tighten the connections carefully by hand, then run the faucet for a few seconds to check for leaks.
If water still drains slowly—or the clog comes back—the blockage is likely deeper in the drain line. At that point, it’s best to call a trusted professional rather than keep troubleshooting. Grease, soap scum, and mineral buildup can collect farther down the pipe, and chemical drain cleaners can corrode your plumbing or make the problem worse. An expert plumber can safely clear the line, check for hidden damage, and help prevent future backups.
From Plumbing Tips to Knowing When to Call the Pros
Follow these plumbing tips to help your home run smoothly this holiday season. Even with a few simple precautions, unexpected issues can still pop up—and that’s when having a trusted Phoenix plumbing team makes all the difference. The best way to prevent plumbing emergencies is to tackle small problems before they grow. If you notice slow drains, a leaky pipe, or a garbage disposal or toilet acting up, now is the time to have it checked. Our expert team handles everything from quick drain clears to full repairs, keeping your plumbing reliable throughout the holidays and into the new year. Call or schedule online today!
Need Help Fast? Penguin Plumbing Is Here 24/7
Even with the best preparation, plumbing surprises can still pop up—especially during the holidays. That’s why Penguin Air, Plumbing & Electric offers 24/7 emergency service. Whether it’s for a burst pipe, a backed-up drain, or a garbage disposal that suddenly quits, our licensed plumbers are always on call and ready to respond quickly.
Here’s to smooth drains, warm homes, and worry-free holidays. From all of us at Penguin, we wish you a happy, stress-free season and a wonderful start to the new year!