The holiday season brings joy, family traditions, and parties but it also means your home is working overtime. Extra cooking, additional showers, kids home from school, and back-to-back gatherings can strain every part of your plumbing and HVAC systems. At Hansen Family Plumbing & Air, we see preventable issues spike every December and January: clogged drains, HVAC breakdowns, water heater failures, and sewer line backups.
A little preparation now can help you avoid emergency calls later. Here are the seven most important systems to check before and after hosting guests this holiday season.
1. Kitchen Drains — The #1 Holiday Trouble Spot
Your kitchen does the heavy lifting during the holidays. From big meals to nonstop baking, the amount of grease, oils, and food waste that enters your drains skyrockets. Even if you’re careful, buildup happens fast, especially in older Greater Phoenix homes built in the 60s with aging cast iron or root-intruded sewer lines. Gearing up your kitchen drains before guests arrive helps you avoid sink backups and foul smells during the busiest time of year.
Before hosting:
- Avoid putting grease, potato peels, rice, pasta, or coffee grounds down the drain.
- Run hot water and dish soap after washing greasy pans.
- Schedule a $149 drain clearing if you’ve had slow drains recently
After hosting:
If you’re noticing slow draining, gurgling, or odors, a hydrojetting service can fully clear your line and reset your system for the new year.
2. Bathroom Drains — Extra Guests = Extra Stress
Guest bathrooms get a lot more action during the holidays. Showers, shaving, makeup rinsing, long hair, and increased toilet usage can quickly overwhelm older or partially blocked pipes. Even minor clogs that seem manageable now can turn into major backups when additional people are using the system. Checking your bathroom drains ahead of time gives you peace of mind before guests arrive.
Signs your bathroom drains need attention:
- The shower fills up while you’re bathing
- Water backs up when the toilet flushes
- Strange bubbling or gurgling
- Slow draining
A preventative drain cleaning before hosting can help you avoid embarrassing bathroom issues and hydrojetting after the holidays ensures everything flows like it should.
3. Your HVAC System — Don’t Risk a No-Heat Morning
Even in Phoenix, guests expect warm, cozy holiday mornings. Your HVAC system works harder in December because of chilly nights and fluctuating daytime temps. Add in guests opening doors, more cooking heat, and increased system cycling, and your unit can become overloaded. A tune-up ensures your heater is ready for a stress-free holiday season.
A winter HVAC tune-up helps:
- Prevent emergency breakdowns
- Improve comfort during cold nights
- Reduce energy usage after a long day of cooking
- Catch failing parts before the holiday rush
Make sure filters are clean and airflow is unobstructed. Hansen can handle both ductless and traditional systems this holiday season.
4. Indoor Air Quality — A Must When Guests Fill the Home
With more people inside, holiday cooking smells, pet dander, winter allergens, and dry air can quickly affect indoor comfort. Indoor air quality is one of the most overlooked parts of holiday home prep, yet it’s one of the most important. Cleaner air keeps your home smelling fresh, reduces sickness, and helps everyone breathe easier, especially kids and elderly guests.
Consider improving comfort with:
- REME HALO whole-home air purification
- AprilAire humidifiers/dehumidifiers
- High-quality filter replacements
- Simple duct cleaning for homes that haven’t had it done in years
Cleaner air means fewer allergies, fewer odors, and a more comfortable holiday environment.
5. Water Heater Health — Hot Water Is Non-Negotiable
If you’re hosting guests, your water heater will be working nearly nonstop. Extra showers, handwashing, laundry, and dishwashing push your unit to the limit. For homes with older systems or oversized families, water heater issues become incredibly common right after the holidays. Checking your water heater before guests arrive can prevent cold showers and expensive emergency calls.
Before the holidays, check for:
- Lukewarm water
- Popping or rumbling noises
- Rusty or discolored water
- Water pooling around the tank
Hansen Family can perform a full water heater inspection and recommend repairs or replacement if needed. For tankless units, descaling is crucial, especially in Arizona’s hard-water homes.
6. Toilets & Fixtures — Small Issues Become Big Problems Fast
Your toilets, faucets, and garbage disposal see a massive spike in usage during the holidays. Combine increased flushing with older plumbing systems, and even minor issues can turn into mid-dinner emergencies. A quick walkthrough of your fixtures helps you avoid unexpected problems that can throw off your entire celebration.
Do a quick check before hosting:
- Does the toilet run too long?
- Does it clog easily?
- Do any faucets drip constantly?
- Does your garbage disposal struggle?
Fixing small issues before guests arrive is far cheaper than an emergency visit during the holidays.
7. Main Sewer Line — The Secret to Preventing Post-Holiday Backups
Your main sewer line quietly handles everything your home sends it, kitchen waste, bathroom usage, laundry water, and more. During the holidays, all those activities multiply, putting your sewer line under intense pressure. If you’ve experienced slow drains, backups, or root issues before, your sewer line should be checked before guests arrive.
During the holidays, your sewer line sees more:
- Showers
- Bathroom usage
- Laundry
- Kitchen usage
- Dishwashing
If your home is older or you’ve had backup issues, a quick camera inspection or hydrojetting service can save you from a January disaster.
Post-Holiday Recovery: Start the New Year Fresh
After the guests leave and the decorations come down, your home deserves a reset. January is historically one of the busiest months for plumbing and HVAC emergencies, but early maintenance eliminates most of those headaches. Giving your home a post-holiday checkup keeps everything running smoothly into the new year.
Consider scheduling:
- Hydrojetting for a full reset after heavy holiday usage
- HVAC maintenance to stay warm through February
- A whole-home plumbing inspection for peace of mind
- Drain clearing and a camera scope to check for hidden issues
- Water heater service to avoid mid-winter surprises
A little attention now keeps your home running smoothly long after the celebrations end.
Need Help Getting Holiday-Ready? We’re Here for You.
As a family-owned business, Hansen Family Plumbing & Air treats your home like we treat our own. Whether you need a quick tune-up or full hydrojetting, our friendly and experienced technicians are here to help with honest pricing and service that feels like family.
Beat the post-holiday rush. Schedule your plumbing or HVAC service today.
