24/7 Drain & Sewer says grease from fall comfort food is behind many of the kitchen and sewer backups it sees heading into Thanksgiving across Bergen County.
Fair Lawn, NJ (PRUnderground) October 14th, 2026
October 25 is National Greasy Foods Day, a day to enjoy burgers, fries, and everything fried. 24/7 Drain & Sewer of Fair Lawn is celebrating with a friendly reminder for Bergen County homeowners. The grease from those meals doesn't disappear when it goes down the sink. It cools, hardens, and builds up inside pipes until one day the kitchen sink or the main sewer line stops draining.
The problem tends to peak in the weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, when home kitchens are cooking more than at any other time of year. Bacon fat, turkey drippings, butter, and cooking oil all go down the drain as liquids. They solidify inside the pipes, then catch food scraps and other debris on the way down. Running hot water or a garbage disposal doesn't fix it. Both just push the grease further down the line, where it's harder to reach.
"Grease is the sneakiest clog there is, because it doesn't cause a problem the day you pour it," said Andrew of 24/7 Drain & Sewer. "It builds up for months, and then it all backs up on Thanksgiving morning with a house full of family. Wipe your pans with a paper towel, pour cooled grease into a can, and throw it in the trash. That one habit saves a lot of people from a holiday emergency."
Homeowners should watch for early warning signs. These include slow kitchen drains, gurgling sounds from sinks or toilets, sewage odors, and water backing up into a floor drain or tub when another fixture is used. Several slow drains at once can point to a problem in the main sewer line rather than a single clogged pipe.
24/7 Drain & Sewer serves Fair Lawn and the surrounding Bergen County area and is open 24 hours a day. For drain or sewer problems, call (201) 931-9590 or visit 247DrainAndSewer.com.
