The Holidays are here again! This time of year brings friends and family together. With all of the festivities is important to protect your plumbing and appliances. The holidays are not just stressful for you, but also for your appliances and plumbing. Your appliances and plumbing see a lot of action this time of year. With all the cooking and extra house guests, it’s no wonder. Here are some Holiday kitchen tips to help you protect your plumbing and appliances.
Garbage Disposal
One of the main sources for headaches during the Holidays is a broken down garbage disposal. A garbage disposal that isn’t working properly can lead to all kinds of problems. Clogs being a major concern. A clogged drain can halt a lot of kitchen activities. For starters, a clogged kitchen sink can cause problems with the efficiency in your dishwasher. Not to mention an unruly mess. Keep your garbage disposal in tip-top shape by following these Holiday kitchen tips:
- Never but fibrous vegetables down the garbage disposal; like all those peels from those potatoes.
- Avoid putting large portions of food down the garbage disposal
- Never put bones down the garbage disposal
- Never put grease down the garbage disposal
- Remember your garbage disposal isn’t a trash can, plastic, glass, and paper need to go in the receptacle
- Run your garbage disposal on a regular basis if you are using the sink a lot
- Always run your garbage disposal with running water
Dishwasher
Your dishwasher will see a lot of action if you are entertaining and cooking a large Holiday meal. From meal prep to after dinner clean up makes you follow these Holiday kitchen tips, to avoid having to wash all those dishes by hand…
- Never overfill your dishwasher, trust us this is not accomplishing more and saving you time
- Always rinse your dishes off well before placing them in the dishwasher to avoid food particles from clogging your drains
- Clean your dishwasher before heavy usage; wipe out the bottom of the dishwasher and make the filter is clean.
- Check and repair dish racks.
Oven
Your oven is about to run a marathon. The Holidays is a busy time for ovens, from all the baking a meal prep. Make sure your oven is cleaned prior to use. Built of food from use can cause fires, and nobody wants to start a fire during the Holidays. Also, make sure your smoke detector and your oven hood are properly working.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator is in charge of keeping all those precious leftovers in top condition ready to consume for a midnight snack or as lunch the next day (or week…depending). Checking your refrigerator prior is an important Holiday tip.
- Check the seal around the door of your refrigerator. This will not only help keep things cold but also lower your energy costs.
- Check and clean the coils. Dust can collect over time and this affects your refrigerators ability to run efficiently. The coils should really be cleaned twice a year, but definitely before the Holidays.
- Check the temperature it should be between 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit in the refrigerator and 0 degrees Fahrenheit in the freezer
- Clear out some space for all those yummy leftovers.
Are you having a plumbing emergency? Contact Courtesy Plumbing today!
