How to maintain healthy pipes
Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) can be unhealthy for your body. But did you know FOG is bad for your plumbing system too? When FOG is poured down sinks, toilets, and drains, it builds up inside sewer system pipes and restricts the flow of your home’s wastewater. Blocked sewage can then overflow into your home, streets, lawns, and storm drains, eventually making its way into our storm water drain system, waterways, and the ocean.
You can protect the environment while avoid the high costs for cleanup by simply keeping your drains FOG free. Here are some do’s and don’ts to remember:
Do's
Pour small amounts of grease into a nonrecyclable container (juice can, empty milk carton, coffee can, pet food can). Make sure the grease hardens before disposing of it in the trash.
Before washing, scrape and dry-wipe pots, pans, and dishes with paper towels and dispose of materials in the trash.
Minimize the use of your garbage disposal. Foods containing FOG can get caught in the plumbing and cause sewer backups.
Use a sink strainer to catch food items, then empty the strainer into the trash.
Don'ts
Never pour FOG down sink drains or toilets.
Never pour FOG down garbage disposals.
Never pour food scraps down the garbage disposal.
Where does FOG come from?
- Meat fats (bacon, sausage)
- Lard
- Cooking oil
- Milk, ice cream, yogurt, sour cream
- Cream based sauces
- Salad dressings, cheeses, mayonnaise
- Butter or margarine
- Food scraps
- Baking products
Freeze the Grease
Grease from cooking meat fats (bacon, sausage), gravy, cooking oil, and sauces may look harmless as a liquid, but when it cools it gets thick and sticky. When you pour grease down your drain, it sticks to pipes and eventually causes clogs and messy overflows.
One way to prevent backups in your home is to pour all bacon, fried chicken, and other cooking grease into a can and then into the freezer before tossing it in the trash.