There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a proper home-cooked meal. Whether you’re grilling steaks on the BBQ during a warm summer evening, frying up fresh bacon from the butcher for a Saturday morning brunch, or baking holiday-themed pies with loads of butter; cooking brings family and friends together like nothing else out there. Yet, behind the scenes of these amazing festivities, sizzles, and aromas, there’s a hidden hazard developing in the background which could be a danger to your home’s septic system: grease.
While grease from cooking may seem like a harmless byproduct of a nice, home-cooked meal, it may be one of the absolute worst things you put down your drain, leading right into your septic system. As time goes on, grease buildup may clog the pipes in your home, damage drainfields, and could even cause complete system failure.
Here at Wholesale Septic Supply, we’ve been able to help many homeowners deal with their grease-related septic issues, and the truth is, most of these grease-induced problems were completely preventable. In this post, we’ll explain exactly how grease harms your septic system, why it’s much more dangerous than you think, and what you can do to best protect your home.
Whenever you pour cooking grease, cooking oil, or fats down your sink, it does not simply just vanish. Hot grease may flow quickly and easily at first, yet once it solidifies, it’s going to create problems within your plumbing system and your septic system. Within your septic tank, grease rises to the top and forms a thick scum layer.
Unlike other forms of waste, grease does not break down very easily. The bacteria within your tank which processes organic matter is unable to digest grease efficiently over time. Due to the bacteria’s inability to break down grease efficiently and effectively, it begins to linger, compounding over time until it begins to overwhelm your system.
Grease hardens quickly: Solidified grease will harden as soon as it cools and stick to pipes, clogging them and creating problems
Grease blocks proper bacterial activity: A thick layer of grease will prevent oxygen from reaching beneficial bacteria, thereby disrupting the delicate bacterial composition of your septic system
Grease floats into the drain field: As grease overflows from the septic tank, it seeps into the drain field, clogging soil pores and eventually causing a full-on system failure
Grease is essentially the “silent killer” of septic systems. While toilet paper and normal waste products break down over time, grease just sits idle, causing more damage each time you cook and compounds the underlying issues.
Grease doesn’t exclusively come from frying. It sneaks in from everyday cooking habits:
Grilling: Meat drippings & marinades high in fat
Frying: Oils from bacon, chicken, or french fries
Baking: Butter, margarine, and shortening
Roasting: Fats released from poultry & roasts
Sauces & gravies: Cream-based or oil-heavy sauces
Even when you rinse off a greasy pan with hot water, it may still send oils down your drain, into your septic system. Over time, these small amounts of grease may begin to add up to big problems. At Wholesale Septic Supply, we’ll often hear from homeowners who didn’t realize how much grease they were actually sending into their tanks until it was far too late.
Grease will cling to the interior of your plumbing pipes, gradually narrowing them, until they eventually clog. Over time, this will likely lead to slow drainage, gurgling back flow of water, and eventually full-fledged sewage backups.
If your septic tank has a thick layer of grease, it will begin to throw off your septic tank’s natural bacterial balance, which is quite delicate to begin with. Now your septic tank has less oxygen due to this extra layer of grease, therefore the waste does not break down properly over time. Waste solids will begin to build up faster, ultimately requiring more frequent septic pumping over time.
The biggest risk associated with grease is when it escapes into your drain field. Once grease begins to fully coat the surrounding soil and gravel, the drain field will lose its ability to properly absorb water. This will likely end up causing pooling of wastewater, foul-smelling odors, and eventually a complete failure of your septic system; leading to thousands of dollars in repair costs.
A properly maintained septic system may last 20+ years. However, with regular grease going down the drain, that lifespan of your septic system will likely shrink dramatically, forcing you as the homeowner into paying for expensive septic tank replacements far sooner than what you had anticipated.
How can you tell if grease is damaging your system? Watch for these common warning signs:
Slow drains in sinks or showers
Gurgling sounds when draining water
Frequent clogs despite careful use
Foul odors near drains or in the yard
Pooling water around the drain field
Needing pump-outs more often than usual
If you notice any of these common signs, don’t wait any longer! Grease buildup will not fix itself. Supplies such as filters and replacement parts from Wholesale Septic Supply will be able to help you address issues early before they spiral into major repair issues over time.
It may be tempting to simply dump grease down the drain when it’s hot and liquified, but always resist. Instead, you should always:
Pour cooled grease into a can or jar, then dispose of the solidified grease in the trash
Thoroughly wipe pans with a paper towel prior to washing in the sink or dishwasher
Use strainers in sink drains to catch any and all food particles
Effluent filters are designed to trap grease and solids before they find a way to escape into your drain field. Thoroughly cleaning, or replacing them regularly, is one of the most effective ways to protect your septic system from grease-related issues. You can find affordable, durable effluent filters at Wholesale Septic Supply.
Even with the best of habits, some grease is likely to enter your septic tank. Pumping your septic tank every 3–5 years should successfully remove accumulated grease and keep your septic system working properly. Fall is typically an excellent time to schedule preventative maintenance before winter sets in.
Grease prevention tactics are only effective if everyone in your home participates in the processes and knows what to do when it comes to proper grease disposal. Educate family members and guests on the reasons not to dump grease or fatty foods into the sink, and they should understand why it can become such a big problem.
There are several misconceptions when it comes to grease and septic systems. Let’s clear them up below:
“Hot water and soap will easily dissolve grease”
This is false. Hot water really only ends up pushing grease further down the line before it eventually cools and hardens once again. Soap may emulsify the grease temporarily, but it will eventually reform in your tank later on.
“A garbage disposal makes it safe”
This is incorrect. A garbage disposal grinds food into smaller pieces, but a garbage disposal cannot actually break down grease matter. In fact, garbage disposals may often make grease problems much worse.
“Small amounts of grease do not matter”
This is not true. Even the tiniest amounts will compound and build up over time and eventually, it fully clogs the septic system.
Here at Wholesale Septic Supply, we always emphasize that there’s no “safe level” of grease disposal when it comes to the health of your septic system. The best approach is prevention and proper disposal of grease in the trash once it’s safely solidified.
Grease problems are easily avoidable with the right supplies and the right habits. This is where Wholesale Septic Supply comes in to help. We provide homeowners with:
Effluent filters to help block grease from reaching your drain field
Durable riser lids and access points to allow for easier inspections
Expert support to help guide you toward the best products for your septic system
When you choose Wholesale Septic Supply, you’re not just buying septic supply parts, you’re investing in the long-term health and functionality of your septic tank.
Cooking is a true joy, yet grease can be a silent threat to your septic system if improperly disposed of down the drain. Whether it’s grilling and frying your favorite foods, or baking and roasting your favorite meats; fats and oils can cause long-term damage over time when they’re rinsed down the drains and build up in your pipes and septic system.
If you let things go and continue to pour grease, fats, and oils down the drain into your septic system, you’ll likely find your septic tank will be defunct, leading to blocked drain fields and wastewater overflow. The good news is that you can prevent these problems from occurring with simple habits consisting of never pouring grease down the drain, cleaning effluent filters regularly, and scheduling septic tank pumping as needed.
When you supply your septic system, Wholesale Septic Supply has you covered with our affordable, high-quality products delivered fast and paired with excellent customer service. Start protecting your septic system today so you can continue to enjoy your favorite foods tomorrow, without having to worry about what’s happening underground in your septic system. Shop our wide selection of septic supply products by clicking the button below. We look forward to working with you soon!
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