Insuring your home
10 things you shouldn’t put down your household sink
Most of us can admit we’re guilty of poking a bit of leftover food down the kitchen sink when we’ve finished washing up. So how bad could this habit be? Well, the most obvious consequence is that putting anything other than water and soap down your household sinks can result in a blockage. In the short term this could lead to water overflowing or, in the long term, could contribute to a bigger leak or burst pipe – resulting in costly repairs and potential structural damage to your home.
Maintaining your sinks and drains is just one of the ways you can avoid water damage, but it’s arguably one of the most important. Clogged drains can also contribute to pest infestations, toxic gases and even mould. There’s also the environmental impact to consider, as many household substances can be responsible for polluting waterways. Here we look at some of the common culprits when it comes to household plumbing problems, as well as those that can come at an environmental cost.
Common causes of blocked drains
1. Pasta and rice
Grain products continue to absorb liquids even after they’re cooked. While small grains might easily wash down the sink to begin with, they can get stuck and cause a bigger blockage as they continue to expand. The easiest way to avoid any food scraps going down your drain is to fit your kitchen sinks with filter baskets and empty them regularly.
2. Cooking oils and fats
As grease cools, it solidifies, which can cause big problems for your household pipes. Instead of pouring cooking oils and fats down the sink, you can recycle them by cooling and storing them in the fridge for reuse, or dispose of them in the bin.
3. Flour and coffee grounds
Flour and water equals glue, so it makes sense that rinsing flour down your sink can cause a blockage. Coffee grounds can also spell trouble, as they have a tendency to clump together. Instead, consider adding both to the compost.
Environmental pollutants in wastewater
Many of these problem substances can cause even bigger issues once they’ve left your household pipes. For example, large deposits of grease from cooking oils and fats are known to mix with commonly-flushed items such as baby wipes to create ‘fatbergs’. These can block sewers and lead to toxic sewage leaks. Here are some other environmental pollutants you should avoid pouring down your sink.
1. Milk and other dairy products
This one might be surprising, but milk (and other dairy) has a high oxygen demand, which means the bacteria that feed on it use a lot of oxygen. As treated wastewater is returned to creeks, rivers and oceans, this reduces the amount of oxygen in the water and can be detrimental to aquatic life. A great way to dispose of dairy products is actually by placing them in your organic or food waste composting bin. This is a much better option than adding any milk product to your general waste bin and sending it to landfill.
2. Paint
Household paints contain a ton of chemicals that can corrode pipes and be poisonous to aquatic species, as well as releasing harmful fumes. Rather than rinsing paint brushes in the laundry sink, it’s recommended to wash them in buckets of water and empty into the garden. Check with your local council about collection schemes for tins of leftover paint.
3. Pesticides and cleaning products
During wastewater treatment, facilities produce ‘sludge’ which can be converted into an agricultural fertiliser called biosolids (Sydney Water produces around 180,000 wet tonnes of biosolids a year1). Pouring pesticides and other chemicals down the sink can make these biosolids unusable, as well as directly harming aquatic life. These products should also be disposed of responsibly through household chemical clean-up services.
Have someone to call in a plumbing emergency
If you have a plumbing emergency such as a blocked drain or a burst pipe, you’ll want to get professional assistance as soon as possible. Adding optional Home Assist to your home insurance policy gives you have access to help when you need it, including three emergency callouts in your policy period, available 24/7.* Get a quote today.
Read more:
- How much should I insure my home for?
- Tips to reduce your home insurance premium
- What does GIO Home and Contents Insurance cover?
Insurance issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 trading as GIO. Registered Office, Level 23, 80 Ann Street, Brisbane QLD 4000. Any advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it.
Please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before you make any decision regarding this product. The Target Market Determination is also available. The information is intended to be of general nature only. We do not accept any legal responsibility for any loss incurred as a result of reliance upon it – please make your own enquiries.
1Sydney Water Wastewater Recycling
*You must hold a GIO Home Insurance policy (excl. Landlord and GIO Home Contents only policy to add GIO Home Assist as an optional cover. Some geographical limitations apply to availability of cover.
GIO Home Assist is only available 24 hours after adding the option to a new or existing policy. Limits, conditions and exclusions apply.
