Fatbergs make up a lot of the blocked drains we see, so it’s good to know how to avoid them as well as getting rid of them.
Up and down the country people are having to deal with fatbergs blocking their drains. They are made up of congealed and solidified fat, grease and other scum which has been disposed of down the drains. They can also buildup with other non-biodegradable materials like wet wipes and nappies which are often mistakenly flushed down the toilet. This means the resulting mass can become quite large and really narrow the pipes and subsequently restricts the flow of water. They have been known to get really big and hard, to the point where you may need a professional to come and remove it for you. Metro Rod Stoke are well equipped for this, and with the high-pressure water jetting and electromechanical cleaning we can break up the fatberg and flush it through until it’s no longer a problem.
What causes a fatberg? How can you avoid them?
- No cooking oils, fats and grease
Do not pour any cooking oil, fat or grease down the sink, even though they are liquid after cooking this will change as they cool down in your drains. They will eventually cool and solidify leaving you with a mass somewhere in your drains. You should let the cool down first and then throw they away in the bin.
- Kitchen paper towels and wet wipes
You should never flush kitchen towels and wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable and won’t dissolve in the water. In the pipes they can attach to the uneven pipes and already formed fatbergs, thus making the situation worse. It’s best to dispose of these things by just throwing them in the bin.
- Bits of food
When we wash our plates and cooking utensils often we will be washing small bits of left over food down the sink as well, this adds to blockages as food like bread, pasta and rice will absorb water and then expand. Other common culprits include eggshell and ground coffee which also won’t dissolve in our drains and instead just cause problems.
There are a couple of quick and easy things you can try to remove a fat berg. The first is pouring boiling water down the drain, a little at a time, to help melt and loosen up what is blocking your pipes. The second option is using the baking soda and vinegar reaction to try and dissolve the mass. The final thing you could try is a chemical drain unblocker which is designed to remove fatbergs.
If none of this works and you still have a blocked drain due to a fatberg, or anything else, then you needn’t worry as Metro Rod Stoke do have all the skills and equipment needed to get things flowing again.
Metro Rod Stoke offers services across Stoke-On-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton & Worcester, from dealing with blocked drains, drain repair, CCTV surveys and septic tank maintenance. We believe in simple things and make sure we follow them through; available 24/7, professional, value for money service during and after the job and peace of mind in the fact that all our engineers are highly trained, DBS checked and fully insured.
Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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