When you’re cooking, grease is bound to be left over on plates and pans. You may be tempted to scrape it down the drain. The truth is grease and fat can wreak havoc on your plumbing if not disposed properly.
The last thing you want to have is a clogged drain full of grease in your home. Let’s take a look at how grease affects your plumbing, and tips to prevent grease damage to your pipes. If you suspect you have a clog due to grease buildup, call our local plumber near you in North Texas at 214-929-3431.
How Grease Clogs Drains
Although grease goes down the drain as a liquid form, it doesn’t simply wash away with water. The fat molecules congeal as they cool and stick to the insides of pipes. As more grease enters the pipes, it attaches to existing build-ups, causing clogs to grow over time.
Some common ways grease clogs occur can include pouring bacon grease, cooking oil, or pan drippings down the sink; Using the garbage disposal to try to grind up greasy food scraps, and letting soap scum from greasy dishes to collect in your pipes.
A grease clog can form either in the pipe’s interior or at joints where accumulation is more likely to stack up.
Grease clogs are no joke, as even small clogs can slow drainage. A fully blocked pipe may lead to backed-up water, flooding, and sewage backups.
Consequences of Grease Clogs
Clogged drains don’t just mean water will drain slowly. Grease-related clogs can lead to a multitude of plumbing and other unpleasant problems.
Some of the biggest issues with clogged drains and garbage disposals include foul sewage odors in the home, flooded sinks, tubs, showers, constant plumbing repairs, and drain cleaning.
How to Prevent Grease Clogs
Stop grease from going down the drain to prevent kitchen and plumbing problems down the line nby following these easy ways:
Dispose of Grease Properly
Who else remembers their mom saving an old Folders coffee tin or empty peanut butter jar to collect the grease? That’s because they knew you should never pour fats, oils, and grease down the sink or toilet. Allow cooked grease to cool and transfer to a sealed container, then dispose of it in the trash.
When dealing with greasy plates and cookware, scrape them well over the trash bin before rinsing to remove fats, then wipe with a paper towel before washing.
Use Strainers and Traps
Place strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and empty them into the trash as you wash complete dishwashing sessions.
Consider installing a grease trap on sinks prone to getting greasy residue, like in the kitchen. Adding grease traps during a kitchen remodel can help you catch grease before it enters pipes.
Clean Pipes Regularly
Prevent buildup by having drains professionally cleaned every year or two. Hydro Jetting can clear even tough grease deposits.
For DIY cleaning, boil water mixed with baking soda and vinegar, pour down sinks to help dissolve grease, then flush with hot water. Do not use a chemical drain cleaner to burn away congealed fat. These chemicals will also cause damage to your pipes over time.
Be Cautious with Garbage Disposals
Avoid putting greasy foods down the garbage disposal. The ground-up particles are still greasy and can stick inside pipes.
How Plumbers Diagnose and Fix Grease Clogs
If you know grease has caused a stubborn clog or backup, it’s time to reach out to our licensed plumber in North Texas. Based out of Carrollton and Plano, Texas our plumbers can diagnose and fix grease-related plumbing issues through a variety of methods that will eventually have your pipes clear and running smoothly again.
It all starts with asking the right questions. Yourplumbers will ask about your clog “symptoms”, recent activities like cooking greasy foods, and whether specific drains seem slow. This can help pinpoint affected fixtures and lead us towards where we need to start finding solutions.
Once our Carrollton plumber knows where a clog may be, we can use a cable auger or “drain snake” that can be fed down pipes to feel for soft clogs. Grease often feels spongy compared to mineral deposits.
We can also go into your pipes with a camera inspection that lets us visually identify grease-related obstructions.
Our professional diagnosis locates grease clogs and determines if they are in interior pipes or main sewer lines before repairs commence.
From there we can put our plumbing experience to work and clear out your clog, replace any damaged pipes, and offer you helpful tips to prevent this problem in the future.
Clear Out Your Grease Clogs
Proper grease removal restores free flow to your plumbing. When you dump your grease down the drain, it’s likely you’ll need to call in the experts soon for clog removal and plumbing repairs.
At Plumbing Dynamics, a team of local plumbers in North Texas clear out even the strongest clogs. Visit our Specials to redeem a coupon toward your plumbing repair.
Trust us to get your plumbing flowing quickly with quality equipment, experience, and the advice you need to prevent future issues.
Contact us today to schedule a visit from our licensed plumbers!
