Grease is one of the most common problems for backed up drains – and there are two reasons for this. The first reason is the food that you put down the garbage disposal; and the second reason is washing dishes, pots and pans that have grease on them. We answer calls almost every day from a person who doesn’t understand why their drains are clogged when they think that they have been careful with the way they treat their garbage disposal, the kitchen sink and the dishwasher.
The fact of the matter is that no matter how careful you are with food, grease will build up in your drain pipes. This is because we all use some kind of olive oil, or corn oil when we cook and it has to be washed off of the dishes. As well, if you cook any kind of meat, it will give off grease that will clog your pipes when you wash the dishes. Obviously, you probably use hot water when you wash the dishes, but the hot water cools off when it contacts with the colder piping in the lower parts of your plumbing and this is what starts the grease buildup in your drains.
The grease that you wash down your pipes only starts with a thin film that coats the insides of them, but it eventually collects and builds into a blockage that can only be cleaned out by a professional plumber. If you suspect that your drain pipes are slowing down, it is better to call a professional plumber right away rather than wait until a real problem develops.
If you make meals in your home, unfortunately, there isn’t any way to prevent grease from slipping down the drain. In reality, grease is just a fact of life, and unclogging your drains is a regular part of home maintenance. You can prevent clogged drains from all kinds of things (like if there is to much hair in the drain) but you will still eventually have to call a professional plumber, no matter how careful you are.