Hosting a Super Bowl Party? 4 Ways to Prevent Expensive Home Damage

Hosting a Super Bowl party can be fun… until a toilet gets clogged, a carpet gets stained, or a kitchen accident turns into a huge mess.

After helping Arkansas homeowners recover from post-party plumbing backups, water damage, and carpet stains for over a decade, we have seen how often these problems happen... and how preventable they are.

This article will teach you four practical ways to protect your home from the most common (and expensive) party-related damage. This way, you will be able to enjoy your game day without worrying about what might go wrong. So, let’s get going!

1. Prevent Sewage Backups and Other Issues

More guests mean more dishes, more bathroom use, and more stress on your plumbing system. Clogged drains and sewage backups are common problems for El Dorado homeowners. If you’re not careful, you could be next.

Let’s see how to prevent this:

A. Protect your Kitchen Sink and Garbage Disposal

Your sink is not a trash can. The biggest threat during a gathering is improper disposal of food waste. Grease, oils, and fatty foods, like bacon drippings and cooking oils, can harden inside pipes and cause major blockages. If you’re using the disposal, fibrous foods can bind the motor or clog the blades.

To avoid problems:

• Never pour grease or oil down the drain
• Pour cooled grease into a container and throw it away
• Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing
• Avoid dumping fibrous food scraps into the disposal

These simple steps can help prevent clogs, breakdowns, and unnecessary plumbing headaches.

B. Avoid Water Damage in Your Bathroom

Toilet backups are messy, stressful, and unfortunately very common when a home suddenly has extra guests.

• Make sure each bathroom has a clearly visible trash can.
• Remind guests (politely or with a small sign) not to flush wipes, paper towels, or napkins.

These items don't break down properly, causing an overflow or sewage backup, a highly unsanitary and expensive situation.

Check this article if you’d like to know more about how sewage water could affect your health.

However, if your plumbing becomes overloaded, get professional help immediately. Our local team at Restore-It is on standby to help you out. Call us and see if we are the right fit for you!

2. How to Protect Your Carpets From Spills and Stains

Super Bowl parties are rough on carpets. Spills that aren’t cleaned up quickly can become permanent stains. Drinks like wine, beer, coffee, juice, and soda soak deep into carpet fibers and get harder to remove over time. Add kids running in and out with muddy shoes, and messes could get out of control.

A. Simple Ways to Keep Carpets Cleaner During the Party

• Create a no-outdoor shoes policy
• Place mats at all entry points
• Choose a spot by the door where guests can take off their shoes and put on indoor slippers
• Keep snacks and drinks in non-carpeted areas

Enforcing these rules will help you reduce the wear and tear without making guests uncomfortable.

B. Why Pre-Professional Carpet Cleaning Helps

Scheduling carpet cleaning 2 or 3 days before your guests arrive can help you:

• Remove deep dirt and allergens
• Help carpets dry fully before guests arrive
• Make spills easier to remove

This will help you create a healthier and more welcoming environment on game day.

Professional carpet cleaning reaches debris that your regular vacuum can’t. If you want to know how much it will cost you, then check our article on carpet cleaning pricing below.

3. Reduce Fire and Smoke Risks in a Busy Kitchen

Often the heart of the Super Bowl party, your kitchen is also one of the most common places for house fires.

A. Smart Habits for a Safer Kitchen

• Never leave cooking unattended. Even stepping away for a few minutes can lead to burned food or worse.
• Keep flammable materials away from heat. Paper towels, dishcloths, and packaging should stay far from burners and grills.
• Turn pot handles inward. This simple step prevents guests or kids from bumping into hot cookware.
• Manage appliance cords carefully. Slow cookers, fryers, and warming trays should never have cords dangling where someone can pull them.
• Always use a timer. Relying on memory is risky; set reminders for anything cooking or warming.
  

B. Make an Emergency Plan in case of a Kitchen Fire

Every host should know where their fire extinguisher is and how to use it. For kitchen fires, a Class B or Class K extinguisher is recommended. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), you should operate the device by remembering the word PASS to use the following steps:

• Pull the pin
• Aim at the base of the fire
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly
• Sweep from side-to-side

4. Prepare for the Unexpected Before Guests Arrive

Even with preparation, accidents can still happen. The key is to respond quickly to limit the damage and prevent unnecessary (and expensive!) repairs.

A. Know Where Your Main Water Shutoff Valve Is

When a pipe bursts or a toilet overflows, locating your shutoff valve is very important. Every homeowner should know:

• Where the main shutoff valve is
• How to turn it off quickly

This step alone can be enough to prevent further damage.

B. Check for Leaks Before the Party

Inspect the water lines behind your refrigerator and under the sink for any signs of wear or leaks before a problem starts.

C. Save Emergency Contacts in Advance

Before you turn on the TV, make sure you save these numbers in your phone:

• A trusted plumber
• Local emergency services (like your local El Dorado Firefighters at 870-881-4855)
• A professional restoration company

A quick response can turn an emergency into a memory!

Don’t Let an Accident Ruin Your Super Bowl experience

Hosting a Super Bowl party doesn't have to be stressful. Common problems, such as plumbing backups, stained carpets, or kitchen fires, can leave a dent in your wallet. And yet, they are completely preventable.

Having read this article, you now know what to look for and how to prepare for your celebration. Your next step is to learn more about water damage restoration. Check this article about the difference between water damage mitigation and restoration.