Clogs are often the leading cause of issues with your plumbing system. While many people are aware of the clogging threat that is posed by excessive clumps of hair or fur, fewer are aware that grease, oil, and fats are extremely common reasons that clogs may occur. In fact, these are such common clogs that they are often referred to as FOG clogs. It is important to ensure that you dispose properly of these substances. Don’t pour fats, grease, and oil down your drains. Here are a few important steps that you can take for preventing grease and oil drain clogs. If these clogs appear in your plumbing system, you should contact us at S & B Plumbing to have the plumbing system cleared out effectively.
Why Fats, Grease, and Oil Cause Clogs
Preventing Grease and Oil Drain Clogs
The best possible strategy for preventing grease and oil drain clogs is to avoid pouring these substances down the drain. Salad dressing often contains a substantial amount of oil or fat. You should dispose of salad dressing in the garbage, not the drain. The same thing applies to peanut butter, shortening, butter, and margarine. You need to be particularly careful when you are cooking meat, as this type of food often contains high levels of fat and grease. You also likely cook them with the use of oil. Ensure that you don’t put poultry skins down the drain, as well as grease and drippings from the meat cooking process.
Various kinds of oils can be problematic when you pour them down the drain instead of providing the appropriate disposal. This includes things like cooking oils or coconut oil. You should also refrain from pouring mayonnaise down your drain system. Dairy products and gravy are additional materials that you should avoid pouring down your drain, because they can clog the plumbing.
Proper Disposal of Grease, Oil, and Fats
If you have to avoid pouring all of these substances down the drain, how do you dispose of them properly? In most situations, you will want to dispose of grease, oil, and fats with the rest of your household garbage. First, you will want to allow them to cool down before you throw them away. This will allow them to solidify, which can help to prevent dripping and other problems. In addition, the heat can create holes to appear in the trash bags. When you allow them to cool prior to disposal, you can prevent this problem from arising.
It is also important to not simply rinse the grease from your pans and dishes into the sink. Even if it is mixed with water, it can still cling to the plumbing. You should wipe the grease from your dishes and pans with a paper towel in order to prevent them from finding their way down the drain.
Common Places where these Clogs Occurs
Understanding where grease and oil drain clogs occur can help you to watch out for issues with your plumbing. Since kitchens are the most common place where grease, oil, and fats are present, the kitchen sink is the most likely to develop grease and oil drain clogs. However, it is important to note that these substances can make their way further into the plumbing. Oils and fats may remain liquid for a while, before they cool enough to solidify. This often allows them to travel far down into the plumbing prior to this point. This can cause clogs to arise in the city lines. Not only will a clog in the city lines impact your own plumbing system, but it may even impact the plumbing in the homes of your neighbors.
Grease and oil drain clogs can lead to substantial issues with your home. In some cases, they may even lead to plumbing emergencies, such as flooding. At S & B Plumbing, we offer emergency services to help protect your property. We are also capable of efficiently and thoroughly removing clogs from your plumbing system. This can go a long way toward protecting your plumbing and ensuring that it continues to operate effectively. To learn more, contact us at S & B Plumbing today!
