Kitchen Sink Blocked By Cooking Fat? Try These Quick Fixes
The ideal way to get rid of used cooking oil, grease, and fat is to wait for it to cool down a little—so it's still fluid, but isn't going to scald you. Tip it into a jar, put the lid on tight, and throw it out in the trash. Now, wasn't that easy? You could even see if it's possible to recycle used cooking oil in your local area. What you shouldn't do is pour it down the kitchen sink. Little by little, layers of fat are being deposited onto the walls of your pipes. You may not realize the seriousness of the problem until drainage is severely restricted, or even stops altogether.
Heat
Heat can help to dislodge accumulated fat deposits on pipes, but this is going to be more beneficial when drainage is restricted, and not when it's totally blocked. Boil some water on the stovetop, or use an electric kettle if you have one. Pour a slow, steady stream of water into the sink, taking care to avoid splashback. This softens the hardened fat and allows it to be flushed into the sewer. It's advisable to only try this method when dealing with minor blockages. When there's a considerable amount of fat clogging your drain, it can easily reform further down your drain, so you're only relocating the blockage.
Chemicals
Fat blockages can also be treated with a chemical drain cleaner, but be sure that you use one specially formulated for grease. Follow the product instructions with regard to the recommended amount to use and how long you'll need to wait for results. Don't be tempted to simply exceed the recommended usage amount if your drains remain blocked after treatment. The blockage may be too thick for the product to penetrate, and you risk corroding your pipes.
Cables
If you have access to one, you may wish to try using a handheld cable drain cleaner—if boiling water or a chemical drain cleaner didn't get the job done. A handheld cleaner can physically break through fat blockages. Most consumer models retain the cable in a small drum with a crank handle. Extend the cable into the drain and then turn the handle to sweep the cable in a circular motion inside the pipe. Run the faucet and check if drainage has been restored.
If none of these options yield results, you need to acknowledge that the issue is more serious than you first thought, and to get your drains flowing again, call a contractor who offers drain cleaning services. And be sure to properly dispose of cooking fats in the future.
Reach out to a company like Rooter Express Plumbing & Drain to learn more.
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