03/13/2026
This is what 26 years' worth of grease looks like in a kitchen drain. After attempting to snake this 1 1/2” pipe from the sink above, it quickly became clear that a drain snake was not the best option. Luckily, the basement had a drop ceiling, and I was able to fully expose the ABS pipe, which was absolutely full all the way from where it came through the floor above to where it entered the 3-inch stack over 20 feet away in the basement. Improper grading and support seemed to be the main cause of the buildup. The entire pipe was full like this. Grease is going to find its way into your kitchen sink drain no matter what you do. Washing your hands, running the dishwasher into the drain, or rinsing off a dish in the sink all leave small grease deposits in your drain that can’t be helped. These build up over time and cause drainage issues. Try to limit the amount of grease that goes down your drain; pouring bacon grease down the drain is a hard no! Run water for a while after rinsing greasy things to wash it down into larger pipes down the line. If you have ongoing kitchen drainage issues, inspect or have your drain inspected for proper size, slope, and support.
