Published by Programme B
Plumbers caution that pouring hot oil and grease down the sink damages your pipes, and the repairing costs can be pretty expensive. They suggest you put this old habit to rest and understand what the accumulation of grease and hot oil can do to your drains.
The fatty substance is a general cause of blocked drainage systems in homes. Like hair that falls out when you take a bath, the build-up of grease, hot oil, and fat blocks and clogs drains in the kitchen with time. The problem can be frustrating, as clearing them out of pipes and drains is a nuisance.
- How do oil and grease damage your pipe?
Several oils, like coconut oil, butter, bacon fat, or even vegetable shortening, are in their liquid form when warm, but they become solid at room temperature. When you pour hot oil into the sink, it will be in its liquid form; once it cools, the grease becomes hard and sticks to the pipe walls. The fat with food particles and other debris washed down into the sink congeals and adheres to the pipe’s walls, mainly at the U-bend or trap under your sink.
- Foul smells emerge from the sink
According to Superior Plumbing & Heating of Barrie, anything heavier than water gets trapped inside the sink. Moreover, the food materials and other leftovers washed down the sink get stuck and cause foul smells.
- What about olive or canola oils?
Other oils like canola or olive do not solidify at room temperature, but plumbers caution against pouring them in the sink. These oils are naturally hydrophobic and do not mix with water easily. They coat the interiors of your pipes instead.
As they move inside the pipe, other particles like scraps, debris, and hair fuse with this oil, and the drain block will send sewer water back into your lines.
- How can you fix the problem?
Washing down grease and fatty substances is a common practice in most homes, but with awareness, you should reduce this act as much as possible. Grease washed down your pipe will later cool and become hard inside the tube.
- Glass jars will solve the problem
Even if you only wash oil or grease down the drain once a week, the residual left behind will cause a thicker coating on the pipe. Depending on the oils used to cook your food, the mass will grow larger and solidify into a hard substance. The moral of the lesson here is: do not pour oil or grease into your sink!
One of the best ways to resolve this grease build-up problem is to begin collecting all of the glass jars you buy from the market. Instead of pouring oil and grease down the sink, use the glass jar. When you have filled the glass jar with oil and grease, discard it with the rest of your garbage over time.
However, if the pipes are clogged beyond repair, you should immediately get in touch with experts and ask them to look into the matter.
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