Grease is a seemingly harmless substance that does great harm to sewers and the environment. Pouring cooking grease down the drain is one of the most common kitchen hygiene errors out there. It’s an easy thing to do and will quickly catch most people off guard when they come home from work or just leave a pot on their stove unattended.
Here’s why you should always put that grease in a jar and transfer it to your pantry instead of pouring it down the drain:
Grease solidifies and accumulates over time.
When grease is in contact with air, it begins to drip onto the surface of your walls or floors, where it can collect and harden into a thick layer. This happens because this substance does not dissolve easily. It forms crystals that form when water comes in contact with them.
Grease also has a strong odor that can be hard to get rid of. The fatty acids give off a sulfuric smell when they are heated up. If you notice this smell in your home, it may mean there’s this kind of substances buildup on the walls or floors of your house.
Gunk can get pushed into more pipes, causing more blockages.
When grease mixes with water, it becomes a viscous liquid that can cause blockages. Grease will solidify and clog pipes over time. If you don’t clean out your drain regularly, this solidified gunk can build up in the pipe until it reaches an obstruction point where there’s no more room for anything else to pass through. The result? A backed-up drain.
This is when you’ll most likely have problems—and not just with your sewer system (though we wouldn’t recommend pouring any kind of substance down there). If left alone, this blockage could also lead to mold growth inside your home or apartment building’s walls as well as other issues such as flooding and mold growth within those areas that are affected by water.
Grease can heat up enough to catch fire.
Pouring grease down the drain can catch fire at temperatures as low as 212° F. The heat caused by this process causes severe burns if not handled carefully. It can cause property damage, injury, or even death if there is an overflow of hot liquid into nearby areas.
A trap is the best option for disposing of grease. If not, you can try to filter out any solid particles from your grease and then dispose of them in your trash.
If you do have a grease trap and find yourself with a large amount of fat to dispose of, you can pour it into the trap through the drainpipe. Pour the grease slowly or use a funnel.
There are fines for grease-related issues.
If you are caught pouring grease down the drain, you could end up paying fines. This is because the city or municipality may have fines for grease-related issues.
Fines are issued because they help the municipality collect money from people who don’t comply with their ordinances and regulations. For example, failing to dispose of your waste correctly and pay bills on time will incur fines against you. Not only that, there are additional charges due to late payment.
Other reasons are listed below:
This is not biodegradable, so it will solidify in the sewer pipes and block them. This can cause backups of sewage, which are very dangerous for both you and your home. The city or municipality may fine you for this issue if they find out about it.
Greases can also catch fire if heated enough by their own heat source (like a kitchen stovetop). This is especially dangerous because grease fires spread quickly; it’s important not to pour any type of cooking oil down the drain.
The solution to this problem is two-fold. First, you should avoid putting any type of grease down the drain. Second, pour it into a glass jar and throw that in the trash can instead. These may be bacon grease or a small amount of cooking oil. This will prevent any messes from forming down your kitchen sink and keep your home safe from fires too.
Don’t pour it down
Grease contains fat and protein, which can clog your pipes if allowed to build up in the pipes in your home.
Pouring it down the sink not only pollutes the environment but can also damage your plumbing and septic system. This can clog your pipes if allowed to build up in the pipes in your home. Repeated exposure to this type of grease can cause the pipe plunger to fail. Additionally, eroded pipes severely diminish water flow.
We hope this article helped you understand the dangers of pouring grease down the drain. This kind of substance can solidify and accumulate over time, causing blockages in your pipes and leading to other issues. Furthermore, it poses a fire hazard if it gets hot enough. It’s best to dispose of it properly rather than throw it away. If we get rid of all the grease flowing through our sewers every day, we’ll be much cleaner too.