If you are planning on hosting a big party at your house, you might be thinking about the theme that you’ll use, the decorations that you will put up and the food that you will serve. The last thing that you might really be thinking about is your plumbing, but this can cause a lot of problems. The truth is that your plumbing is probably designed for regular family use rather than use from a large group of people at once. The last thing that you probably want to deal with during your party is a plumbing issue, but it is something that can happen. Luckily, following these tips to prepare can help prevent this.

Open Up All of Your Bathrooms

If you are like many people, you might have one specific bathroom that you prefer for your guests to use. However, if all of your guests use the same bathroom, it could increase the chances of a toilet clog. Plus, people probably aren’t going to want to have to wait in line to use the facilities. Opening up all of your bathrooms to your guests can be a better idea.

Place a Trash Can Nearby

People may need to dispose of things like feminine napkins or baby wipes while they’re at the party. If there isn’t a trash can nearby for them to use, they might be tempted to just toss them in the toilet. Placing a small wastebasket beside the toilet, in easy view, can be a good way to prevent this.

Keep a Plunger Close By

If there is a toilet clog, your guest will probably want to handle the matter discreetly. Having a plunger near the toilet can help your guests get out of potentially embarrassing situations and can help prevent an overflow.

Remove Items from the Back of Your Toilet

If you normally keep decorative items or other things on the back of your toilet or directly above the toilet, you’ll probably want to remove them. They might look nice, but they could potentially fall in the toilet. In a panic, a guest might try to flush, which could cause a major problem.

Get Rid of Clogs

Some people find themselves putting off doing something about slow drains and other similar issues. However, what might be a minor annoyance right now can become a major catastrophe under the heavy use of your plumbing during a big party. Having a plumber come out to take care of any clogs beforehand is smart. Plus, he or she can take a look at the rest of your plumbing to make sure that it’s ready for the big event.

Avoid Overusing Water Beforehand

Sure, you might have to use a lot of water to clean up, cook and get ready for the event. However, it’s best to avoid using too much water in the days before your party, if you can help it. Doing so can overload your septic tank, which means that it might not be able to handle the extra load from the party. Consider spacing out your water usage and conserving water while you can.

Scrape Plates Thoroughly

It is a good idea to scrape your guests’ dirty dishes yourself so that you can ensure that as much of the food is gone as possible before it goes in the sink. Even if you usually use your garbage disposal, you should know that it might not be able to keep up with the added load of a party, so you may want to just toss your scraps in the trash or in a compost pile on party day.

As you can see, there are a few ways that you can prepare your plumbing before having a big party. If you follow these tips, you can help prevent a major disaster from happening on the day of the big event.

Charlie Teschner started MESA Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling in 1982. Charlie has a journeyman and master plumber’s license. He was raised with a strong work ethic and he now applies those values to tasks such as Longmont, CO heating repair.