As winter fades way, it’s replaced by spring and summer, when graduation parties and family reunions are in full swing. Fighting off a plumbing disaster with guests staying in your home can be an even bigger mess. Here are some plumbing disasters you’ll definitely want to prevent.

Garbage Disposal Overload

Hosting Sunday morning brunch for the family may sound like a great idea, but what happens when a nephew dumps his entire plate of chicken into the garbage disposal and turns it on? This can lead to the disposal getting clogged or jammed, which can be an expensive fix overall. Make sure you dump uneaten food into the disposal only a little at a time, and keep the water running to help break up the food. You should also never pour leftover grease down the sink — that’s an easy recipe for a clogged drain. Plumbers in Canada do drain cleaning in Calgary, so there is a way out, but you can keep your sink drain clean and unclogged with just a little extra effort.

Clogged Toilet

A lot of people all sharing a bathroom is going to create a mess sooner or later, but you can make sure it’s later. Make sure and always have a plunger visible in the bathroom, so any embarrassed house guests can try to fix small problems themselves before they turn into big ones. If your toilet is finicky, it might also help to put up a small sign for guests reminding them of unflushable items.

Water Heater Breakdown

A broken water heater can be a major expense, whether you need to repair a single part or replace the entire heater. The key here is to keep an eye out for potential problems and call someone to fix them before they escalate into a more expensive mess. Check the water heater on a regular basis to make sure it’s at the correct temperature. If you can’t control the temperature, the water heater makes no sound, or you find a leak, call a plumber immediately to get it checked out. That is a disaster waiting to happen, and the sooner you catch it, the sooner you can fix it.

A little plumbing disaster can make a big mess, whether it’s a leaky tub or a clogged toilet. While you can always call someone in to fix things, a little preventative maintenance can often help you avoid these disasters happening in the first place, so make sure and follow our tips to avoid a plumbing mishap.