Fat Blocked Drain Jun 2026

When hot fats, oils, and grease (collectively known as ) are poured down a drain, they enter the pipes as liquids. However, as they travel away from the warm kitchen environment, they cool and solidify.

When hot grease enters the drain, it travels through the plumbing while gradually cooling down. As it cools, it solidifies. It acts much like cholesterol in a human artery, sticking to the rough interior surfaces of the pipes. Over time, this layer thickens. It then begins to catch other debris—tiny bits of food, coffee grounds, and soap scum—creating a massive, concrete-like blockage often called a "fatberg." Once this mass grows large enough, water can no longer pass through, and the sink backs up. fat blocked drain

Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) discharged into household or municipal drainage systems is a leading cause of blocked drains worldwide. This paper examines the physical and chemical processes by which fats accumulate in pipes, the environmental and economic impacts of fat-blocked drains, and practical prevention and remediation strategies. When hot fats, oils, and grease (collectively known