Managing Cooking Grease: How To Protect Your Home’s Plumbing

Extending the life of your Regina home’s plumbing system does not have to be a difficult task, especially when you know what types of materials might harm it. Food grease is especially tough on your plumbing pipes, and at Handyman Connection, our plumbers in Regina are standing by to help you prevent this type of damage with a few helpful tips on how to dispose of food grease safely and when you need to call for help if your grease clogged-pipes need repair.

Food Grease Causes Fat Buildup 

When you pour hot grease down your kitchen sink, some of it may not reach the sewer and instead sit in your plumbing, where it cools and becomes solid. Over time, these deposits can grow and cause several issues, including:

• Serious clogs 

• Damaged pipes 

• Overflowing sinks

Hot water and grease-cutting dish soaps are not likely to dissolve hot grease completely as you pour it down the drain, and each time you dispose of food grease this way, the more likely large, damaging deposits will form. This can reduce water flow and cause your kitchen sink to drain slowly, especially if the grease contains bits of food or meat coating. As the pipes narrow, drainage becomes even more difficult, and store-bought drain cleaners are not always effective against large grease clogs. If your kitchen sink begins to drain slowly or not at all, you may need assistance from our knowledgeable handymen to clear out these fat deposits.

Grease Can Damage Your Sewer System 

Even if food grease drains through your plumbing pipes and reaches the sewer system, it can cause damage there as well. Sewer pipes may become clogged with large deposits of dried grease, which can narrow the pipes over time and cause problems with other plumbing systems in your home, such as toilets. When these deposits form in the local sewer system, they may affect not only your home but your neighbour’s homes as well.

If you already poured grease down your kitchen drain without realizing the possible damage it can cause, you may be able to reduce the amount of grease in the pipes by pouring a mixture of grease-cutting dish soap and boiling water down your drains. You can repeat the process several times to ensure you flush the drains as thoroughly as possible. In the future, however, you may want to avoid pouring any type of food grease or oils down the drain and dispose of these liquids in ways that are safer for your plumbing.

Disposing of Food Grease Safely

When you cook with grease and oils, having a household oil container gives you a simple and convenient way of cooling and then disposing of these liquids. Simply pour the grease into the container and allow it to cool before scraping it out and disposing of it in the trash can. You can also reuse the oil for future cooking needs or use it around the house for removing paint or preventing rust on gardening or household tools. You can protect leather goods with cooled grease or, if you enjoy creative projects, make soap out of used grease.

You can also keep used vegetable oil in your bathroom cabinet to moisturize your hair when dry weather makes it unmanageable. This is most effective for the tips of your hair, as it may prevent split ends. Our handymen can advise you about beautiful bathroom renovations, including the addition of extra cabinet and shelving space, so you can store these oils safely. Our handymen can either advise you on a new bathroom design or build upon one you already have in mind.

Knowing how to prevent grease clogs can prevent damage to your home’s plumbing, but if you need assistance with existing clogs, contact us today for a an estimate and more tips about how to safely handle household cooking grease.