What’s Clogging My Drains? Part 1 – Grease & Fat - Nassau County Plumbers & Rooters

What’s Clogging My Drains? Part 1 - Grease & Fat

There are many things that can clog up the drains in your house. Today we’re looking at the number one source of clogs coming from your kitchen – grease and fat.

We’ve all been there – we’ve pan-fried a burger or made a big batch of bacon, and we’re in a hurry so we just throw the dirty pan in the dishwasher and call it a day. Or we think that pouring greasy food remains into the garbage disposal is a good idea. Or, if we hand wash dishes in the sink, we think that the dish soap will take care of all the grease (note – it does not).

The problem is many of the fats we use in the kitchen are solid at room temperature (like butter and other animal fats). So, while they may enter your drains as a melted liquid, they’ll cool down and start to solidify and build up along the walls of your drains. And, like when this happens to your arteries, your drains will get blocked and bad things will happen (ranging from slow drains to sewage backup to burst pipes).

How to Prevent Grease and Fat Buildup

Luckily, it’s easy to keep grease and fat out of your drains.

Let greasy pans cool down first before trying to clean them. Once cold and the fats are solid, simply wipe down the pan with a paper towel, getting off as much fat as possible, and THEN either wash it by hand or place the pan in the dishwasher.
If you’re using melted butter (like for popcorn or lobster), don’t pour any extra down the drain. You can either cool and reuse it or cool and toss it in the trash.
Never waste bacon fat, it’s culinary gold. Pour the excess fat into a clean can (filtering out any solids with a strainer or coffee filter) and place it in the refrigerator for later use.
Even fats that are liquid at room temperature (like olive and other vegetable oils) should be kept away from your drains. Anything remotely greasy should be wiped away and tossed in the trash.

Too Late! My Drains are Clogged. Now What?

Has your sink or bathtub/shower been slow to drain? Are there weird noises or smells coming from your plumbing? It looks like you’re going to need some professional help.

Luckily, Johnny Rooter offers 24/7 drain cleaning services in Nassau County. Our licensed plumbers, based in Rockville Centre, are experts in state-of-the-art hydro jetting, which will unclog your drains and clean the inside of your pipes to like-new condition.

And even if you don’t currently have an emergency, and would rather not have one in the future, Johnny Rooter can come and inspect your drains to make sure everything is flowing smoothly.

Have questions about what’s going on with your plumbing? Call (516) 535-0528 to get answers from some of the best Nassau County plumbers in the business.

Call Today!

Call Today!