Blocked drains have always been a potential problem, be it in Brentwood or any other UK location. In recent years, however, a new cause has reared its ugly head – fatbergs. Drainage companies like PMB Environmental Ltd and utility companies are finding fatbergs on an increasingly regular basis. This new phenomenon not only poses a problem to our waterways, but our marine life too.
If you’re still unfamiliar with what a fatberg actually is, it has the following definition: a solid mass of congealed oils, fats and grease, wet wipes, sanitary items and other waste found in drainage and sewer systems.
Yes, they’re a rather unpleasant form of blocked drains. In 2017, engineers discovered one of the most famous fatbergs to date in Whitechapel. It weighed 130 tonnes.
While it’s unlikely you won’t develop one of this size at your Brentwood property, you can take some essential steps to stop them developing at all. In this blog, we examine how.
The key to preventing fatbergs at your Brentwood home lies in a greater knowledge of what causes blocked drains in the first place. Two actions stand above most others in the fight against fatbergs at home:
Most wet wipes do not break down easily, if at all. This includes those that claim they do. By throwing them into your toilet, you give them the opportunity to combine with other sewer and drainage materials, such as grease and fat.
You should simply throw these items in the bin. The same goes for cooking oil and fats. If you find you have quite a lot, consider soaking it up with kitchen roll and then throwing that in the bin.
Following these basic steps prove crucial in the fight against fatbergs, and blocked drains in general.
Commercial kitchens in and around Brentwood have a different set of demands when compared with a private household. This primarily involves much larger amounts of excess cooking oil and grease. As such, to avoid fatbergs and blocked drains, we strongly advise installing a grease trap.
Grease traps ensure that the fats, oils and grease (FOG) from your kitchen do not enter the wider drainage system. Of course, this means they cannot go on to form fatbergs. Recent figures show that, in London, 90% of restaurants contribute to the fatberg problem with improper disposal of waste FOG.
In addition, if you do have a grease trap installed, you must undertake regular maintenance to keep it working to optimal standards.
The previously mentioned monster fatberg found in Whitechapel took 9 weeks to clear. Naturally, this involves a considerable amount of manpower and resources. Overall, Thames Water spends approximately £1m per month clearing blocked drains within its sewer network.
Even mini-fatbergs in your own Brentwood-based drainage system take time to clear. It’s more cost-effective and time-efficient to adapt your habits and prevent fatbergs and blocked drains from forming in the first place.