It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for Decatur homeowners entertaining guests, the holidays can be tough on your home’s most important systems. Below, the team at Valley Heating & Cooling shares four easy ways to prepare your home for the holidays, so you can enjoy quality time without worrying about electrical, HVAC, or plumbing issues.
Preparing Your Home for the Holidays, System by System
The holiday season can significantly impact your home’s essential systems. When hosting friends or relatives, you may experience higher water and electricity consumption, as well as frequent thermostat adjustments for comfort. To minimize the likelihood of leaks, clogs, or other potential issues, take proactive steps. By preparing in advance, you can enjoy the festivities without worrying about late-night emergency repairs.
1. Avoid Overloaded Circuits
Especially if your guests are staying for a few nights, expect everyone to bring an electrical gadget or two to plug in. Preparing holiday meals may also require additional small cooking appliances, many of which get plugged into kitchen circuits that may already handle large appliances. Connecting too many devices can cause blown fuses and increased fire risk.
How To Avoid Overloaded Circuits
- First, identify which devices and appliances are on the same circuit. At your circuit panel, turn off circuits one by one; whatever powers down is on the circuit. Try to balance out how many appliances are on any given circuit, especially in the kitchen.
- Next, indicate outlets on circuits with lower electricity demand for guests to use. Place a small table or sign with a subtle message (“Power Station”) to encourage charging devices there.
- Avoid using portable devices like space heaters and hair dryers at the same time and on the same circuit.
2. Clean Your Drains
Make time before guests arrive to clean out drains and avoid back-ups, leaks, and foul odors from clogged drains.
- Cleaning out kitchen drains: Food debris and grease are the most common causes of clogged kitchen drains and grease traps. In some cases, you can clear out drains with water and baking soda. First, pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain; if there’s a drain cap, place it over the drain to force the bubbles and pressure down the pipe. After 10 to 15 minutes, pour a pitcher of hot (not scalding) water down the drain to flush out any lingering debris.
- Cleaning out shower drains: Hair and soap residue are regular culprits here. In many cases, you’ll need to use a drain snake, a wire hanger, a plunger (or all three!) to clear a clogged shower drain. If your shower drain still backs up after trying these mechanical methods, your sewer line may be blocked by tree roots below your home or in the yard. Contact your local plumbing team to take a closer look!
3. Prevent Clogged Toilets
It’s a holiday guest’s worst nightmare: they use the bathroom, flush, wash their hands, and spot a nearly overflowing toilet as they go to leave the room. Prevent toilet clogs to protect guests (and yourself!) from embarrassment!
How To Prevent Toilet Clogs
The best way to prevent clogged toilets is to remove any non-flushable items from the bathroom. Guests might be tempted to flush feminine products, tissues, or other items down the toilet, especially if they can’t find the trash can. Remove these items from the bathroom for the duration of your guests’ stay.
Clogged Toilets, Thanksgiving, and “Brown Friday”
The holidays are among the busiest times of year for most plumbing companies, with the day after Thanksgiving widely considered the busiest day of the year. “Brown Friday” sees a spike in emergency plumbing problems due to the combination of intense meal prep, plenty of house guests, and families spending more time than usual at home.
4. Freshen Up Your Home’s Scent
One of the best ways to ensure your guests feel welcome is to deodorize your home. While you may not notice it, every house has its own distinct smell, which may or may not agree with some guests.
How To Deodorize Your Home Quickly
- Air it out: Start by opening windows and doors to let in fresh air. You can also run your HVAC system’s fan to increase air flow in the house, improving ventilation.
- Remove the stink: Address common causes of odor by taking out the trash, cleaning out drains, throwing out old food from the fridge, and cleaning soft materials like upholstery, rugs, and carpeting.
Especially if you have pets or kids, carpets and area rugs tend to hold onto smells from dropped food, spilled beverages, and “accidents.” To remove these lingering odors, sprinkle baking soda onto the affected area and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. If the odor is still fresh or strong, allow a few hours! When the time is up, vacuum up the baking soda and, voila, the scent is gone or much less noticeable. Repeat as necessary to eliminate the smell.
Read More: Affordable Home Improvement Projects with High ROI
Preparing Your Home for Holiday Guests Is Simple
Focus on the basics when getting ready for the holidays: make guests feel welcome, be accommodating, and be ready for anything with Valley Heating & Cooling. Find out why Decatur residents trust our local home service technicians for prompt, professional service when it matters most. From our entire team, have a wonderful holiday season, and schedule an appointment to get ahead of common home issues this year!
Call 256-474-7550 or contact us online to schedule HVAC or plumbing services in Decatur, Athens, and the surrounding areas.