The tree is trimmed, the menu is planned, and the guest list is growing. But is your plumbing ready for the holidays?

When you’re hosting Christmas dinner, the last thing you need is a backed-up sink full of dirty dishes, a toilet that won’t stop running, or a garbage disposal that decides to quit mid-meal prep. With extra guests, more showers, and your kitchen working overtime, your plumbing system is about to get its biggest workout of the year.

Here at Tin Man, we’ve taken plenty of emergency calls during the holidays – and we’d rather help you avoid them in the first place. A little preventive planning now means you can focus on making memories instead of dealing with plumbing disasters.

Why the Holidays Are Hard on Your Plumbing

Think about what happens when you host family and friends for the holidays. Your kitchen sink handles more dishes than usual. Your garbage disposal processes potato peels, turkey scraps, and leftover cranberry sauce. Your bathrooms get used by twice as many people taking twice as many showers. And your water heater? It’s working around the clock to keep up with demand.

All of this extra activity puts serious stress on your plumbing system. Small issues that you’ve been ignoring suddenly become big problems when you’ve got a houseful of guests and no time to deal with them.

Get Your Kitchen Ready for Holiday Cooking

Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, and the last thing you need is a plumbing problem slowing you down.

Give your garbage disposal some love. Before the big day, run cold water and grind up some ice cubes and citrus peels to clean the blades and freshen it up. But remember – not everything belongs in the disposal. Keep grease, oil, coffee grounds, potato peels, and fibrous vegetables out of there. They cause clogs that always seem to happen at the worst possible time.

Check under the sink. Look for any signs of leaks or moisture. A small drip can turn into a bigger problem when your sink is in constant use. Better to catch it now than to discover a puddle on Christmas morning.

Test your hot water supply. Run hot water for a few minutes to make sure your water heater is keeping up. If it takes too long to heat up or runs out quickly, you might need a water heater check before the guests arrive.

Bathroom Prep for Extra Guests

When you go from two people using one bathroom to six people competing for shower time, things can get interesting fast.

Make sure toilets are running properly. A toilet that’s constantly running or slow to flush will only get worse with heavy use. If you’ve been dealing with any quirks, now’s the time to get them fixed.

Check for slow drains. Hair, soap buildup, and toothpaste can gradually slow down your bathroom drains. If water is pooling in the sink or shower, schedule a drain cleaning before the holiday rush.

Stock up on essentials. Keep a plunger in each bathroom – just in case. And maybe remind your guests that only toilet paper goes down the toilet (no paper towels, wipes, or feminine products, even if they say “flushable”).

Watch Your Water Heater

Your water heater is the unsung hero of holiday hosting. When everyone wants to shower before dinner and you need hot water for cooking and cleaning, it better be up to the task.

If your water heater is older or you’ve noticed it’s not performing like it used to, consider having it serviced before the holidays. Our plumbers can flush out sediment buildup (especially common in Bowling Green with our hard water), check the heating elements, and make sure everything is working efficiently.

No one wants to be the host who runs out of hot water mid-party.

Signs You Need a Plumber Before the Holidays

Some issues can’t wait until after New Year’s. Call Tin Man if you’re dealing with:

• Slow drains in the kitchen or bathroom
• Toilets that won’t stop running or are slow to flush
• Low water pressure anywhere in the house
• A garbage disposal that’s making strange noises or not working at all
• Water heater issues – not enough hot water, strange sounds, or leaks
• Any visible leaks under sinks or around fixtures
• Sewage smells coming from drains

These problems will only get worse when your plumbing system is under holiday stress. Getting them fixed now saves you from a potential disaster when you have a house full of people.

What to Do If Disaster Strikes

Even with the best preparation, plumbing emergencies can happen. If you end up with a plumbing crisis during the holidays, here’s what to do:

For a backed-up sink or toilet, stop using it immediately and don’t try to force it. Chemical drain cleaners can actually make things worse and damage your pipes.

If a pipe bursts, shut off the water to that area (or the whole house if needed) and call us right away. We offer emergency service because we know problems don’t wait for business hours.

For garbage disposal jams, turn off the power before trying anything. Most have a reset button on the bottom that might do the trick.

Keep the Holidays Stress-Free

The holidays should be about good food, good company, and making memories – not about plumbing headaches. A little preventive maintenance now means you can relax and enjoy your time with family and friends.

At Tin Man Heating and Cooling, we’ve been helping Bowling Green families keep their homes running smoothly since 1988. We understand the unique challenges of Northwest Ohio homes, from hard water issues to older plumbing systems, and we’re here to make sure your holidays go off without a hitch.

Need to get your plumbing holiday-ready? Give us a call at 419.827.5799 or contact us online. Our licensed plumbers can handle everything from quick tune-ups to emergency repairs – whatever it takes to keep your home comfortable and your plumbing flowing smoothly this Christmas season.

Because the only thing that should be backing up this holiday is traffic on the way to grandma’s house!