When the holidays arrive, many homes in Bergen County, NJ, are kept busy preparing for friends and family to visit. That can involve a lot of cooking in your kitchen, which in turn can lead to a number of plumbing problems. No one wants to deal with a clog while entertaining relatives during the holidays, and while a professional plumber can usually deal with the problem it’s better to prevent it rather than dealing with it after it arises. It helps to identify certain foods that you should never throw down the drain, due to the damage they will cause. Most people know better than to throw bones or fruit pits down the drain. Here are a few others to add to the list.
FATS, OILS AND GREASE
Fats, oils and grease (or FOG as we call them) are usually poured down the drain in liquid form after you’re done cooking with them. Once there, they can cool and solidify in your pipes, turning into a nasty clog very quickly. Instead of pouring them down the drain, sort them in an empty metal can until they have solidified, then toss them in the garbage.
FIBROUS VEGETABLES
Holiday meals often include potatoes, carrots and celery, which contain a lot of fibers. They can wrap around the gears of your garbage disposal, as well as getting tangled up in your pipes to create clogs. This is especially true for peelings, which should be tossed in the trash instead of washed down the drain.
RICE AND PASTA
This category can be surprisingly tricky. But rice and past expand when they get wet and like vegetable peelings can get tangled up to create a serious blockage in your pipes. Even if they seem soft, don’t put them down your garbage disposal.
For more holiday plumbing tips or to help with drain clogs, BZ Dependable is here to help!
