Christmas is a busy time where most households find the hotspot of their home in the kitchen. Whether you're socialising, pouring the festive cocktails or in charge of cooking, there's always something to be done. However, if you find yourself in charge of the latter then there's one thing you must avoid doing to save creating a seasonal emergency.
There are lots of common Christmas Day home emergencies but always a best way to avoid them if you play it smart between eggnog gulping and pigs in blankets pinching. Checkatrade has revealed that nearly 16,000 searches were made on Christmas Day last year, highlighting that skilled tradespeople are the nation’s unsung heroes who keep homes warm, safe and joyful even when festive disasters strike.
But the most common complaint is not disposing of grease and food waste from your festive feast properly. Blocked drains are the last thing anyone wants to deal with on Christmas day, so remember never to pour fat or put food scraps down the sink as they can easily cause blockages.
Electricians were also high in demand, followed closely by plumbers and even locksmiths were in high demand with 473 left out in the cold unexpectantly.
One of Checkatrade’s experts, Frank Fernando of Lion and Leinster, recalls how his team sacrificed their own plans to save Christmas for a family on the brink of disaster, when their home plunged into darkness shortly before 46 guests arrived. With the clock ticking, the electrician came to the rescue and restored power in just 40 minutes to turn a Christmas catastrophe into a festive triumph, but he has tips to share to help you steer clear of avoidable home emergencies.
Be aware of circuit limitations
A house full of guests and multiple appliances running (like ovens, dishwashers, heaters, not to mention Christmas lights) can put a strain on your electrics. To avoid power outages during Christmas dinner, try and minimise the amount of appliances running concurrently, especially if they are on the same circuit. It’s also always worth checking your circuit breakers ahead of time to ensure they can handle the load.
Book a boiler service ahead of time and add simple maintenance tasks to your Christmas to do list
If you’re worried about your boiler coping with extra heating and hot water needs, then get on Santa’s ‘nice list’ by shorting out a service early. Simple maintenance, like bleeding your radiators, can also help improve efficiency, keep your home toasty and also save money on bills.
Other festive problems in the home include TV aerials help needed because none wants to risk missing the Christmas TV classics.