What is a Fatberg? And How Do I Prevent One?

Backed-up plumbing and clogs can bring your home to a standstill and leave homeowners dealing with a mess. More than a simple clog that gets pushed through with a plunger, you could have a dreaded fatberg. This rock-hard mass of fat, oil, grease, and non-biodegradable waste is extremely unpleasant, messy, and can wreak havoc on sewer systems. 

Fatbergs may sound like a plumbing emergency that wouldn’t happen in your own home, but they often start by simply pouring grease or oil down the drain. Our licensed Garland plumbers are always here to deal with your clogs, drain cleaning, and fatbergs to get your plumbing back on track. Learn more about what fatbergs are and how you can prevent them from forming in your plumbing.

What is a Fatberg?

A fatberg is a massive, hardened clog formed in sewers and requires sewer cleaning in Garland. It occurs when fat, oil, and grease (FOG) combine with non-flushable waste like wet wipes, paper towels, sanitary products, and food scraps and foreign objects. The name is taken from the terms “fat” and “iceberg” to illustrate exactly what happens when these fat clogs grow. As you can imagine, the combination of greasy gunk clogging up your plumbing can solidify into a rock-like substance that is more than just a nuisance. When left to grow, they can become as tough as concrete and nearly impossible to move without professional intervention. 

How Do Fatbergs Form?

It all starts with FOG entering your Garland plumbing system, whether from last night’s cooking grease or leftover food scraps going down the drain. As these materials cool and congeal, they stick to the sides of your pipes. Clean, smooth pipes allow water to flow freely and can help wash some of it away, but most older systems will have rough patches where debris collects. 

Once the greasy clog starts, they’re difficult to break down without clogged drain cleaning in Garland. The greasy substance also sticks to non-biodegradable items like wet wipes, sanitary pads, and cotton buds to create an even larger and more imposing clog. The mass will continue to grow and harden, potentially obstructing sewer systems, causing catastrophic sewage backups, flooding your home, and creating unsanitary conditions.

The Hidden Costs of Fatbergs

Fatbergs are more than disgusting to deal with; they’re also costly and require an emergency plumber in Garland. Clearing out an oversized fatberg can take weeks and require powerful hydro jetting and robotic tools. If a fatberg grows large enough, it can even block entire sewer systems, leading to backups. Scheduling regular drain cleaning in Garland can help blast through greasy clogs before they get out of hand and keep your plumbing pristine. 

How to Prevent a Fatberg

Prevention is absolutely the best way to keep fatbergs out of your plumbing system. Preventing the issue is much simpler than dealing with it once it has escalated. It all starts with staying hypervigilant to what you’re flushing down your toilets and throwing into your drains. 

Here are some practical tips to avoid contributing to fatberg formation:

1) Don’t Pour Grease Down Your Drains

Grease may seem harmless, but it’s actually the main culprit behind an out-of-control fatberg. Allow your leftover grease to cool, solidify, and then scrape it into your trash. Keeping an old jar handy also makes it easier to collect and toss into your garbage for proper disposal. 

2) Avoid Flushing Non-Biodegradable Items

Never flush wet wipes, paper towels, sanitary products, or cotton swabs down the toilet. Never trust packaging that says “flushable,” or you’ll find out the hard way that these items do not break down the way toilet paper does.

3) Use a Grease Trap

Even if you do a minimal amount of cooking at home, a grease trap can help capture it before it enters your plumbing system. You’ll have more peace of mind and reduce the risk of fatbergs lurking in your plumbing. 

4) Schedule Regular Drain Cleaning in Garland, TX

Call the team at Triple Crown Plumbing for regular drain cleaning in Garland, TX to help stop fatbergs before they ever start forming. Our professional drain cleaning services remove any buildup before it becomes a serious problem.

5) Consider a Drain Camera Inspection

If you suspect you already have a fatberg or stubborn clog in your pipes, ask about a drain camera inspection in Garland to get a clear picture of what’s going on. Our drain experts will thread a small but powerful camera through your pipes to allow professionals to see any blockages or fatbergs that may be forming.

Call Triple Crown Plumbing for All of Your Clogs and Drain Needs

Fatbergs are a serious issue, but the good news is they’re preventable with some care and attention. The team at Triple Crown Plumbing is also here for all of your Garland, TX, drain cleaning needs, emergency repairs, clogs, and more. Give us a call today! We’ll come out as soon as possible and help blast through your stubborn clogs and break up any growing fatbergs before they spiral into a messy emergency.