We can help with that part, but first: We do not recommend deep frying a turkey without taking proper precautions, doing research and asking someone with experience for advice. When done properly, deep frying your turkey creates a tasty treat. When done wrong, such as dropping a frozen turkey into a vat of scorching oil, you get an incredibly dangerous and even deadly situation (simply search “frozen turkey in a deep fryer” on YouTube to see demonstrations by fire departments).

But let’s assume you deep fried your turkey, all went well and you now have a belly full of turkey and a deep fryer full of used oil. Believe it or not, this is the point where many people pour oil down the drain. It’s just liquid, right? Wrong! Oil in your drain pipes will solidify and wreak havoc on your home’s plumbing system and the city’s. FOG (fats, oils and grease) are common problems in causing sewage backups.

The only way to properly dispose of your oil is to drop it off at a collection point provided by your local government or other recyclers. Louisville has several drop points provided by the city, and Lexington has several options for commercial drop offs. Many of these sites will convert oil into bio diesel.

Review this handy list of other great (and tasty) tips for deep frying your turkey. Just remember to properly thaw out your turkey, and to never put oil down the drain and you’ll be doing just fine.

If you’re reading this a little too late and already have a clog, give us a call at (502) 451-2882 for Louisville, or call (859) 559-0625 in Lexington. We’ll give you a free estimate.

And more often than not, we end up using a chemical drain cleaner to take care of things. As we said, we’ve all been there. But at Dauenhauer, it’s our professional opinion that you stop that train of thought. Here’s why:

Don’t Use Chemical Drain Cleaners

We know you’re probably thinking we’re just saying this so you’ll call us. Well, of course, we’d like to hear from you, but there really is some legitimate rationale to our suggestion. Chemical drain cleaners clear a drain by dissolving the clog using caustic or oxidizing chemicals. These chemicals create a reaction to break down and loosen the clog.

But according to ConsumerReports.Org, most chemical drain cleaners are more trouble than they’re worth. Some react with aluminum and give off unhealthy gas, can solidify inside the pipes and can’t be removed, or mix with other household cleaners and cause the mixture to burst out of the drain. Liquid, foam and gel cleaners can also cause damage to pipes, and usually, aren’t as effective taking at least 30 minutes to eat through a clog.

And this is when the drain cleaner works. If the clog isn’t removed, now you have chemicals just sitting there, eating away at your pipes.

Do use a snake or plunger

The safest course of action is to use a snake or a plunger. But we advise, don’t use either of these methods if you’ve already tried a chemical drain cleaner. You could run the risk of splashing chemicals up onto your face or skin. If you have a clog that isn’t going anywhere, it may be time to call the most reliable plumber in Lexington. And that would be Dauenhauer.

If you have any questions or if you need help call Dauenhauer, any hour.