Proper Disposal of Grease

12/13/2021 (Permalink)

Disposing of cooking oils down the drain can lead to damages your home and the municipal sewer system.

The worst type of water damage you would want is a sewage backup. That's because it is highly unsanitary and hazardous and also creates undesirable odors. In the event that you get a sewage backup, you can call SERVPRO of Monterey Park. But before you want to deal with any form of sewage backup, you can stop the problem before it even begins.

One of the common causes of sewage backups is the improper use of pipes especially in the kitchen. It is not uncommon that used cooking oils are disposed of in the kitchen sink. This might not seem problematic since oil seems to be a liquid that easily flows down the drain. However, when oil cools down, it solidifies creating blockage in the drain. Because of this, wastewater will fill your drains and pipes and will eventually lead to a sewage backup which will then flow into your home. Oil that does not get trapped in the pipe that it initially flows into can also spread to other parts of the home and neighboring homes through the sewer system. Also, when cooking oil makes it into the sewers it starts to collect trash and waste eventually creating a "fatberg". "Fatbergs" can be enormous in size and block sewers, causing sewage flooding in public areas. 

The proper way to dispose of cooking oils is to contain it in a sealable plastic container and dispose of it through the trash. There are also used oil collection services that convert the oil to low carbon biodiesel. 

Call SERVPRO of Monterey Park if you have a sewage backup in your home or any other types of water damage.