An expert is warning Brits about the common household products that can be disastrous for your pipes – and your wallet. The everyday items could block your pipework if disposed of down the sink or toilet, with the resulting damage potentially costing hundreds of pounds.
According to an expert plumber from MyBuilder.com, the reliable way to hire tradespeople, items such as the popular drink Baileys, as well as coffee grounds, are a common cause of blockages. If disposed of down the sink, these products could cause clogging in the pipes, leading to a costly call out, especially if it causes an issue over the Christmas break, when emergency callout charges may apply.
Mike Flook, an expert plumber from MyBuilder.com, said that many blockages in kitchen sinks are caused by products the majority of us use, but are not aware they are problematic to pour down piping.
“While it may seem that liquids like creamy drinks or leftover gravy could be washed down the sink, the reality is that they can cause serious issues, especially if it’s a repeated action.
“The result can be that, depending on the product and where you tipped it, you could face blocked toilets or sinks. While this is a pain at any time of the year, at Christmas when plumbers can be hard to come by, it is doubly frustrating and costly.
“However, there are steps you can take to avoid making these mistakes, as well as emergency actions you can take to help mitigate any disasters should you have accidentally flushed or poured something you shouldn’t.”
Here are MyBuilder.com’s tips to avoid any household disasters this holiday season.
Baileys
Cream liqueur drinks, such as the popular Christmas favourite, Baileys, can be a problem for your plumbing at Christmas. While it may be delicious to drink, it doesn’t keep for long, and might end up down the sink.
However, this sort of beverage should never be disposed of in this way. Cream liqueurs have a large fat content, and as such falls into the category of FOG (Fats, Oils, and Greases). FOG should never go down the sink, as it sticks to pipes and can cause blockages. It’s also what’s responsible for “fatbergs” in our sewers.
Leftover Turkey Fat
As with Baileys, turkey fat is classed as FOG. Half the population admit to pouring FOG down the drain, but don’t be one of them. The problem with pouring leftover fat down the drain is it will cool, which can lead to blockages and fatbergs in your pipes.
Calling out a plumber on Christmas Day is not easy – both in terms of availability and on the wallet. Emergency callouts can be four times as expensive as a regular one – and even more at Christmas.
Flushed away
Many people get glammed up for Christmas – but extra people making extra effort can lead to big issues if they don’t dispose of their rubbish correctly.
Makeup remover pads, cotton balls, and wet wipes should never be flushed down the toilet, yet they often are. In 2017, an investigation into sewer blockages found that wet wipes accounted for a massive 93 per cent of blockages. Ensure your guests know to throw these items in the bin – and ensure you have provided one!
Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds may seem like an innocent item to wash down the sink, but actually, they are a prime candidate for clogging pipes. They can clump together in U bends and cause a tricky blockage, especially if they get mixed up with other foodstuffs. Instead, you can use your coffee grounds to mix with soil in your garden as an effective fertiliser – or pop it in your bin.
If you do accidentally put FOGs down the sink, there are some important dos and don’ts:
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DO Immediately run the hot water. Heat from the water can help to dissolve grease and fats, and keep them in liquid form until they are out of your pipes and in the sewer. Leave them hot water running for several minutes to be safe.
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DON’T run cold water. This will quickly cause the FOG to solidify, blocking your pipes.
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DO use dish soap. Adding soap to hot water is a simple and gentle way to help remove the blockages without damaging your pipes.
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DON’T use chemicals. Drain unblockers are often ineffective against FOGs, and can cause damage to your pipes in the process. A plunger is likely to be more effective, and is gentle, so ensure you have one in the house just in case.