A “fatberg” is a mass of solids, that cannot biodegrade, that has congealed in a sewer system. Fatbergs are made mostly of fat and cooking grease, which is formed around sanitary napkins, condoms and non-biodegradable wipes which are flushed down the toilet and never degrade. The largest fatberg ever found was discovered in the London sewers in 2017. It weighed more than 120 tons, and was longer than 250 meters. The fatberg was so huge and so disgusting that the Museum of London requested a chunk of it and currently have it on show for citizens of London!
Here are some tips from a septic service in Bethel, OH for avoiding a fatberg in your own pipes or septic system.
Don’t flush anything but the “normal” stuff down the toilet
Do not flush wipes, diapers, feminine hygiene products, condoms or pet waste down the toilet. Many people do, assuming that once these things make it to the sewer they’ll be fine, but that is simply not the case. These things never biodegrade, and they act as a natural attractant to all the fat an oil that’s floating around in the sewer or your septic tank. It’s never ever okay to flush any of these products down the toilet!
Properly dispose of food and fat before washing your dishes
Always collect your used cooking oil in a lidded container, let it cool and throw it away in the garbage can. Never try to let old cooking oil go down the drain. Some people think there’s a genius workaround to this rule. They think all they have to do is run hot water before and after dumping the oil, and this will keep the oil from clogging the pipe, but this doesn’t work. Trust us, you’re not the first person to think this will solve the problem, but it doesn’t. The oil just goes slightly further down the pipe and then hardens there.
Another thing to remember is to be careful if you have a garbage disposal. This will help you get rid of solid waste more easily than you might otherwise be able to, but it should only be used for waste that is biodegradable or otherwise compostable. A garbage disposal will not make it possible for you to get rid of fat or oil.
Contact a septic service in Bethel, OH
As a provider of septic service in Bethel, OH, even if we’ve never seen a fatberg on the level of the one found in London, we’ve still seen our share of enormous and unpleasant fat and grease deposits over the years. If you want to keep your pipes healthy for years to come, remember to follow all of our suggestions here for protecting your pipes. If you’re currently having an issue with a clog in a pipe, or a slow drain, and think it might have to do with a fatberg of your own, do not hesitate to call. Draining issues should never be taken for granted, and a totally stopped drain should never be left to sit. You’ll end up compounding your problems. That’s why it’s so important to find a septic service provider that you know you can trust.
At Gullett Sanitation Services Inc. in Bethel, OH, we’ve been providing the area’s most reliable septic services for over 75 years, making us one of the longest lasting and most resilient businesses in the area. If you want to know what makes us different, give us a call today!