Hey Brandon Homebuyers! Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Pour Grease Down the Drain

Buying a new home in Brandon is a big deal—congratulations! Before you settle in and break out the frying pan, here’s a little homeowner secret that can save you lots of money and headaches: never dump grease down your drain.

It might not seem like a big deal when it’s hot and liquid, but once it cools? That grease turns into a sticky, clog-causing nightmare hiding inside your pipes.

What Really Happens When You Pour Grease Down the Sink

When grease or cooking oil goes down your kitchen drain, it flows through the pipes, cools off, and solidifies. Slowly but surely, it builds up like cholesterol in your plumbing, making it harder for water to get through. And in our chilly Brandon winters, it solidifies even faster!

Eventually, you could find your sink draining slower and slower—or worse, not at all.

Why That’s Bad News for Homeowners

• Big repair bills – A plumber visit to fix a grease clog isn’t cheap. If the clog is deep in your pipes, you might even need replacements. If that grease builds up and clogs the discharge pipe under your front yard, you could be hit with a hefty repair bill—around $10,000—to replace the entire line from your house to the property boundary. The image below shows a real example of a sewer pipe in Brandon completely blocked by grease. In this case, the pipe had to be replaced entirely, as it was beyond any hope of cleaning or repair.

• Gross sewer backups – When your pipes clog, wastewater can come back up instead of going down. No one wants that mess in their new kitchen.
• Citywide problems – All that grease adds up in Brandon’s sewer system, forming massive blockages called “fatbergs.” They cause backups and expensive repairs that ultimately affect the whole community.

A Cleaner Way to Handle Grease

You don’t need to change your cooking routine—just how you clean up afterward. Here are some easy habits that make a big difference:

• Let grease cool and toss it – Pour it into an old container, let it harden, and throw it out with your garbage.
• Wipe before you wash – Use a paper towel to wipe out pans and dishes before washing them.
• Keep a “grease jar” – Use an empty coffee tin or glass jar to collect used cooking oil until it’s full, then dispose of it properly.

Protect Your New Home (and Brandon!)

Owning a home comes with a lot of new responsibilities, and plumbing should be one of the easiest ones to handle. Keeping grease out of your drains helps prevent plumbing disasters, saves money, and keeps Brandon’s sewer system running smoothly.

So next time you’re cleaning up after a big meal, remember: the drain is not the place for grease. Your pipes—and your wallet—will thank you!