Try reusing that cooking oil instead of dumping it.

You spent part of the afternoon at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and when you got home, all you wanted was a drink and some fried mozzarella sticks. You decided to indulge yourself and now you’re trying to decide what to do with a pan full of used cooking oil.

Whatever you do, don’t dump it in the sink. Cooking oil is notorious for clogging pipes and creating blockages that can be really had to get rid of. You could dump it in the trash. Or maybe, you could reuse it. But don’t reuse it before you clean it, says food.ntv.com.

“Have you noticed the small particles left behind from the dishes you create every time you cook …?” foodndtv.com  asks. “These particles could be leftover batter or the skin of an ingredient that you may have fried. It is critical to remove these tiny particles before reusing the oil.”

Food.ndtv.com suggests two ways of removing those particles. One is to strain the oil though something like a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Another is to “heat the oil in a small saucepan. Then take sliced pieces of lemon and place them in the oil. The black particles will stick to the lemon. Take out the lemon pieces and use the oil again.” It is unclear if the lemon will flavor the oil.

No matter how careful you are, you might get a clog or blockage. If you do get a grease clog, you can try to clear it by pouring hot water or a plunger to get things moving again. If all else fails, then it’s time to call Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you.

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FOG – fats, oils and grease – can cause blockages and other plumbing problems. Billy the Sunshine Plumber can help with that!

You’ve decided to put off trying to clear the clog from your kitchen sink this morning so you can go see the giraffes. You figure the clog will still be there when you get back. That’s because you’ve been having a number of clogs recently and you’re getting tired of dealing with them.

If you’re having recurring blockages in your kitchen sink, it could be because FOG is mucking up the works and you’re only able to get rid of some of it. That makes you think you’ve solved the problem when all you’ve done is clear a small passageway that clogs up again as more debris goes down the drain.

“Fats, oils and grease, known collectively as FOG, represent the most serious enemy of our sewer lines,” according to bransommo.gov.”You may think that once FOG has gone down the drain, it simply washes away and is gone for good. But that’s not the case.”

Bransonmo.gov adds, “When FOG is washed down the drain, it cools and forms thick grease that mixes with other solids and wastes which will build up over time and clog drain pipes and sewer mains. Clogged drain pipes and sewer mains can result in sewer backups and spills, creating environmental problems and flooded homes and businesses.”

Once FOG does get into your pipes, it can be hard to clear out. That’s when it’s best to call the trusted professional plumbers at Billy the Sunshine Plumber.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you, even on holidays.

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Don’t put grease or cooking oil down your drains or you could cause a clog. There are other ways to get rid of it.

You like the cooler weather that’s settled on Tampa Bay for the past few days. It makes your morning walks and  jogs in the Withlacoochee State Forest so much more pleasant. At least you don’t get back home dripping with sweat.

That doesn’t mean getting home is a total pleasure. At least not when you’re having to deal with a slow drain in your kitchen sink. Since the holidays, it seems as if you can’t get the sink to flow properly.

It sounds as if you have a clog that’s forming in your drain. Considering your problems began during the holidays when you were doing a lot of cooking, it’s very possible you’ve put something down the drain that’s causing the problem. One likely culprit is cooking oil and it’s companions, fat and grease.

That sounds simple – don’t pour it in the sink. Just dunp it i the trash. Right?

Wrong.

“Getting rid of oil the wrong way can attract pests and cause damage to your home,” according to insider.com.

Insider.com explains:

• Don’t pour it down a home drain. It will build up if you pour it down a drain. And if a clog is already forming, the grease will make it worse and potentially damage your pipes.
• Don’t pour it out in the yard. No matter what type of oil and what was cooked in it, used oil poured out in the yard will attract animals and pests.
• Don’t pour it down a storm drain. Storm drains, like home drains, are not meant for oil disposal. Like pouring out in the yard, you’re attract pests like rats

Instead, insider.com suggests you put it in a close-able container that you can toss, reuse it, or take it to a recycling center.

“When disposing of cooking oil, don’t pour it down drains or anywhere else where it can attract pests or get into water and sewage systems. This includes compost piles, which are already prone to attracting critters,” insider.com says. “Instead, put used cooking oil in a tightly concealed container. Throw it out with the trash or take it, if it’s accepted, to your local recycling center. Moreover, to get the most out of cooking oil, clean and store it for reuse a couple times before discarding.”

If it does get into your drainage system and forms a clog you can’t get rid of, call Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you, even on holidays.

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Billy the Sunshine Plumber can help if your drains become clogged with fats, oils, and/or grease.

“Fatbergs” made up of fats, oils, and grease have become international news during the past few years. The fats, oils, and grease, more commonly called FOG, get into the sewer system and form a HUGE (17 tons in one London sewer) clog that stops up the system. It takes a lot of work and expense to clear those fatbergs and get things running again.

Now, the fatberg type of clog has hit near home with repeated FOG clogs in Polk County’s sewer system. They’ve become more common, officials say, because of the growing population in Polk.

Fatbergs are not only a problem in government systems. They also cause problems for home and business owners as the FOG that’s dumped into drains builds up and stops up your plumbing system. The problem gets even worse around Thanksgiving as turkeys and other cooking become more intense.

As with many things in life, prevention is the best cure for fatbergs.

“If you make a lot of grease at one time, say, frying a turkey, some areas offer fat and oil recycling to get rid of it and actually turn it into useful biofuel,” businessinsider.com advises. “For smaller amounts of grease, let it solidify in the pan or in a jar, then throw the solid grease in the trash can. Make sure to wipe the greasy pan or dish with a paper towel to soak up the rest. Try to get as much as possible of the grease and oil into the trash instead of the drain — just the little bit that washes out with the wastewater can cause problems over time, especially in areas with high populations like cities.”

No matter how careful you are, FOG can still get into your drains. Businessinsider.com quotes one expert who explains: “People try to discharge their oil and grease properly, but over time, you can get a fair amount of oil and grease from washing pots, pans and dishware. … The cumulative impact could be substantial. It’s that long-term consistent discharge of that oil and grease, even if it’s a small amount at a time, which could lead to problems.”

If that happens to you and you can’t get rid of the blockage by yourself, it’s time to call the reliable plumbers at Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you even on Thanksgiving day. 

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Grease is the No. 1 cause of clogged kitchen sinks. If you have a clog you can’t get rid of, call the reliable 24-hour plumbers at Billy the Sunshine Plumber.

You’re planning a trip to Fresh Friday tonight if you can get that “to do” list finished by then. One of the chores on the list it to clear out the drain in your kitchen sink. It’s not clogged, it’s just a bit slow. You’re hoping to clear it before it becomes a major clog.

Because it’s in the kitchen, it’s likely a problem caused by grease, fats, or oils – commonly known as FOG. According to the city of Falls Church, VA, grease is the No. 1 cause of backups, clogs and overflows. That’s once the FOGs, get into the municipal system. But they can become stuck in your home system and cause the same type of problem there.

“Be sure to properly dispose of cooking grease, by pouring fats and oils from turkey, bacon, etc. into an empty can and throwing the can away. Please do not pour oil and grease down drains or toilets,” Falls Church urges.

Falls Church notes there are several “myths” related to grease and plumbing. It’s wise to know them so you can help avoid clogging your system:

Myth 1: It’s okay to pour grease down the drain if I run hot water with it.

Fact: This only moves the grease further down the sewer line. Eventually the water will cool and the grease will begin to solidify and coat the pipes.

Myth 2: It’s okay to pour liquid oils down the drain.

Fact: Liquid cooking oils float on water and easily adhere to sewer pipes. The oily film can collect food particles and other solids that will create a blockage.

Myth 3: As long as I can use the garbage disposal it’s okay to put fat, oil, and grease down the drain.

Fact: Using the garbage disposal only grinds particles up before passing them into the sewer pipes. It does not prevent build-up or blockages

Myth 4: If I use dish soap while pouring the fat, oil, and grease down the drain it will break it up and allow it to pass through the pipes.

Fact: Dish soap only temporarily breaks up the fat, oil, and grease. Further down the sewer line all that grease, oil, and fat will begin to congeal and cause a blockage.

Falls Church offers this list of dos and don’ts:

DO

• Pour oil and grease into an empty container, such as an old can, and allow it to cool completely. Once it has solidified dispose of it in the trash.
• Wipe down pots, pans, and utensils with a disposal towel or plastic scraper prior to washing.
• Scrape food scraps into the trash.
• Use a strainer in the sink to collect excess food particles.
• For oil, grease, and fat that do not solidify, mix with an absorbent material until all the moisture has been absorbed. Then dispose of it in the trash.

DON’T

• Do not use a garbage disposal. Grinding food up before rinsing it down the drain does not remove FOG; it just makes the pieces smaller.
• Do not pour cooking oil, pan drippings, grease, salad dressings, or sauces down the sink.
• Do not use cloth towels or rags to scrape plates or clean greasy or oily dishware. When you wash them, the grease will end up in the sewer.
• Do not run water over greasy dishes or pans.

Of course, no matter how careful you are, you still might get a clog. If you do and you can’t clear it on your own, it’s time to call the trusted plumbers at Billy the Sunshine Plumber for help.

Billy the Sunshine Plumber has been the Tampa Bay 24-hour plumber of choice since 1924 when he first opened for business. Billy the Sunshine Plumber is open 24/7/365 in Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Days, nights, weekends, or holidays, Billy the Sunshine Plumber is always here for you. 

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