Why You Should Never Throw Fat, Oil, Or Grease Down Your Kitchen Sink

By Author: Nu Flow Technologies
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At some point, everyone pours some fats, oils, and grease down their kitchen sink. It's quick, it's easy, and why not? With approximately thirty-six thousand sanitary overflows taking place in the United States each year, around forty-seven percent are due to grease backup in the pipes. This overflows in bathtubs, toilets, and manholes and causes environmental problems, as well as major issues for homes and businesses with unnecessary flooding, which can cost thousands of dollars to repair in the long run.

Fat, oils, and grease should never ever be thrown down your kitchen sink. This includes lard, cooking oil, butter, margarine, meat fats, grease, sauces, slow cooker liquids, and food scraps. These oils and grease can create a build-up in the pipes. Maybe you think when you flush fats, oils, and grease down the toilet or you pour them down the sink that if you follow with plenty of water you are ok. The problem is that the grease doesn't travel as far as you think, they start to form lumps with other debris and chemicals, which will stick to the pipe walls.

What do fat, oil, and grease do to your pipes? They cause ...
... a reduction in flow capacity; they slow down drains and cause sewage backups. They can cause complete blockages, unnecessary repair costs, and can contaminate water sources. In residential homes, buildings and condos, each individual must take on the practice of not throwing these items down their sewer drains, which can help to reduce the risk in multi-family homes.

There are alternatives to throwing your fat, oils, and grease down the sink or toilet. Consider recycling, where you can place it in a sealable container and take it to a recycling center. Wipe any cooking utensils and dishes with a paper towel before you wash them. A lot of fat, oils, and grease comes from the dishes you wash. Reduce how much you use your garbage disposal to reduce the risk of blockages in your sewer line.

The only way to effectively remove fats, oils, and grease from your pipes is to call in a plumber. If the build-up is severe, you may have to consider a repair or replacement method. The plumbers will use camera equipment to identify any serious issues and advise you accordingly.

In the event pipe replacement is recommended, you will be faced with a number of options, including trenchless sewer repair. Trenchless repair is growing in popularity and has been around for decades. This process involves a small plumbing team carrying out a camera inspection on your pipe to identify if trenchless technology will work for you.

Once you have been given the go-ahead, a small team arrives that will try and access the pipes through manholes or by digging two holes, one at either end of the sewer line that needs to be unblocked and replaced. The pipe is cleaned and allowed to dry. They then add an internal pipe within the existing pipe, which is faster, more effective, and cheaper in the long run. It also increases the lifespan of your sewer lines by another fifty years or more.

They pull the CIPP (Cured in Place Pipe) lining into place, expand it to push the wet epoxy against the inside of the pipe to seal any holes and cracks, creating a strong and durable internal barrier. This is allowed to cure in place and then you can continue using your pipes as normal.

About Us: Nu Flow Technologies is a leading drain and sewer line repair specialist company with headquarters in San Diego, United States. This well-established company was formed in 1998 and originally manufactured and installed patented trenchless drain and sewer lines to single family homes throughout the country. Today, they are a global company that developed a new method in 2000 similar to a stent used to open the arteries to the heart. Nu Flow Technologies provides its services using plumbing partners on a global scale, offering a unique internal bladder to repair damaged drain and sewer lines in an effective, fast and affordable manner. To find out more, visit their website at https://www.nuflowtechnologies.com/.

Nu Flow Technologies was established in 1998, manufacturing and installing trenchless drain and sewer lining solutions.