It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for Atlanta homeowners entertaining guests, the holidays can be tough on your home’s most important systems. Below, the team at Cunningham Associates puts together four easy ways to prepare your home for the holidays, so you can enjoy quality time without worrying about electrical, HVAC, or plumbing problems.
How To Prepare Your Home for the Holidays
During the holiday season, plumbing and electrical systems frequently face increased demands due to a higher number of people in the household. This leads to increased water usage, frequent toilet flushing, and more electrical devices being connected to outlets. To help minimize the risk of circuit overloads and clogged drains, you can take some key proactive measures. With proper preparation, homeowners can ensure their systems operate smoothly throughout the holidays.
1. Avoid Overloaded Circuits
With mobile phones, computers, freshly unwrapped gadgets and gizmos, electricity powers the holidays. Combined with increased appliance use, your circuits can quickly become overloaded, increasing the risk of blown fuses and fire.
How To Avoid Overloaded Circuits
- First, identify which devices and appliances are on the same circuit. The easiest way to do this is to 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.
- Avoid using portable devices like space heaters and hair dryers at the same time and on the same circuit.
- Place a small table or sign with a subtle message (“Power Station”) next to outlets on circuits with lower electricity demand to encourage guests to charge devices there.
If your home is still experiencing overloaded circuits, consider having your circuits rewired to improve performance and reduce your risk of fire or other problems.
2. Clean Out Drains
Backed-up sink and shower drains can cause real problems, especially when there are more people in the home than usual. 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. In some cases, you can clear out drains with water and baking soda. Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain; 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: 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 of hair and soap residue. 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 the stuff of nightmares; you’re visiting friends and family, use the bathroom, and have to inform your host that the toilet might be clogged. (You know it is!) There are a few ways to protect your plumbing and your guests from the horror of a rapidly-overflowing toilet and prevent the associated 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. Preparing your home for guests should include taking these items out of the bathroom for the duration of their 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. With the combination of intense meal prep, plenty of house guests, and families spending more time than usual at home, “Brown Friday” sees a spike in emergency plumbing problems.
4. Deodorize Your Home
Even immaculately clean and tidy homes have a unique scent. While you may not notice it, some guests may find your home’s natural aroma distracting, or worse, smelly. Instead of covering up your home’s odors, tackle subtle smells at the source.
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.
- Remove the stink: Address common causes of odor by taking out the trash, throwing out old food from the fridge, and cleaning soft materials like upholstery, rugs, and carpeting.
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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 Cunningham Associates. Find out why Atlanta 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!
To schedule HVAC, electrical, or plumbing services in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and the surrounding areas, call 770-343-7565 or contact us online.