Clucking Hell: Pouring Turkey Fat Down the Drain Could Cost You £250 This Christmas

Dec 11, 2023

There are many reasons why people seek the help of plumbers during the winter months; burst pipes, leaking taps and boiler issues are all in peak season, but there are also other costly dangers that can come during the festive period. With experts warning of the expensive issues caused by disposing of unwanted food and drink incorrectly, the plumbing pros at have offered their advice on how to avoid this common festive plumbing emergency.

Which festive food and drinks can damage your drains?

Christmas dinner is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the festive season but there are plenty of Yuletide products that can cause plumbing issues. Anything that contains fat, oil or cream can cause an unwanted sink blockage that will likely need remedying by a professional. Some of the most common culprits include pouring leftover turkey fat down the drain which, when it cools, can harden to form a blockage or burst a pipe. The ever-popular Irish cream liqueurs with their high cream content can also produce a similar effect if tipped down the sink after one too many!

How much does it cost to fix a blocked or burst pipe in your home?

Costs can vary, particularly over the Christmas period and due to the time of day or location, however Philip Hill of Leicestershire-based says that “unblocking a pipe caused by pouring fat, grease or oil down the sink will cost between £80-£120 dependent on how easy it is to access the pipe and whether any further damage has been caused.”

If you’re calling out a plumber after normal working hours for an emergency or on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day there will also be additional charges that could put the cost of a simple turkey-fat related blockage at around £250 (the equivalent of around 20kg of turkey or 12 litres of Baileys!).

What should you do with leftover Christmas food and drink instead?

Yell Business’ plumbing expert adds “It’s to think twice about the leftover food and drink you put down your sink this Christmas. Prevention is always better than the cure of calling out a plumber, so wait for things like the fat from your Christmas turkey to harden before scraping out into the bin. If it’s oil or cream based, then pour into a sealable container and dispose of it in your general waste.

“When washing greasy pots, add detergent and make sure you’re using the hottest water that your hands can tolerate, as this will help to stop the build-up of grease and mean that less goes down the plughole”.

Sarah O’Rafferty, at Yell Business, added: “Christmas is a time of celebration and for many, having a bit of a break after a long year. However simple mistakes, like pouring some turkey fat down the sink, can quickly turn it into a costly problem. At a time when finances are already being stretched, we hope this advice will help people to think twice when disposing of their Christmas waste and in turn avoid having to spend out on a fix that didn’t need to happen!”

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Data Reveals the UK Cities That Are Best for Learner Drivers in 2024

03 Oct, 2024

Research by driving experts at Yell has revealed that Leeds and Belfast are officially the best cities to be a learner driver. With driving lessons averaging at £33 per hour in Leeds, this city makes an affordable choice for most learner drivers at 13% less than the national average of £38. Belfast is 3% above the average of £38, but learner drivers benefit from short wait times of 10 weeks. Demand for driving lessons is at an all-time high as the backlog from the pandemic continues. Until driving test capacity increases, the backlog is expected to only get worse, with high-demand areas having seemingly no end in sight. In 2024, there are an estimated 3,712,728 learner drivers in the UK competing for driving test slots, but the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can only accommodate 2,042,976 of them. This means that demand for driving tests is expected to exceed capacity by 82%. This pressure only continues as data from the DVLA shows that , from January to March 2024 (Quarter 4), 666,000 car theory tests were conducted in Great Britain, an increase of 12% from January to March 2023 (Quarter 4). Equally, from January to March 2024 (Quarter 4), 561,000 car practical tests were conducted in Great Britain, an increase of 25% from January to March 2023 (Quarter 4). The delays in booking tests and the ongoing backlog are causing major frustrations for both drivers and instructors. Learners are having to take more lessons to make up for the additional waiting time and instructors are unable to take on more drivers due to the backlog. According to a survey from car insurance provider Marmalade , 77% of learners have cited that the extra cost of more lessons has been their biggest frustration. DVSA says that learners will need an average of 45 lessons to pass a test , working out around £1,710 per student. However, with wait times for tests now at an all-time high at an average of 21 weeks across the country , driving instructors and their students are in a crisis. Learners across the country are facing a postcode lottery when it comes to waiting for a driving test slot, and most centres are seeing over double the wait times of pre-pandemic levels, which saw an average of only 6 weeks. Leeds and Belfast revealed as the best cities for learner drivers in the UK Taking into account the average cost of driving lessons in each city, the average wait times and driving test search demand, Yell has created a list of the best cities to be a learner driver in 2024. It’s revealed that Leeds and Belfast are officially the best cities to be a learner driver. With driving lessons averaging at £33 per hour in Leeds, this city makes an affordable choice for most learner drivers at 13% less than the national average. While driving test wait times are still relatively high at 20 weeks, this is one week less than the national average, and search demand in the city is slightly less than the national average, seeing 1,700 searches each month. Belfast averages £39 for driving lessons, which is 3% more than average, however drivers benefit from short test wait times at only 10 weeks. Belfast also has a smaller search demand of 1,400 searches each month for “driving lessons Belfast”. London is ranked as the worst place for learner drivers. The average driving lesson costs are second highest in the country at £41 per hour, 8% over the national average. London has the second highest wait times at 23 weeks, which is mirrored in its monthly search demand, which is the highest in the UK with over 2,800 searches for “driving lessons London” each month.

Driving Experts at Yell Reveal the UK’s Top-Speed Camera Hotspots

27 Aug, 2024

New research by driving experts at Yell has revealed the UK’s top 10 speed camera hotspots and which regions are catching drivers out this summer. Looking at police records from every county across the UK between the periods of July 2023 and August 2023, the experts at Yell have revealed that Surrey takes the top spot for the most speeding violations in the UK with 22,811 between July and August 2023. In 2023, 203,801 people were found guilty of a speed limit offence - this is a decrease of 8% when compared to the previous year, but an increase of 85% since 2011. Across the UK, there are now around 7000 cameras on the road networks, catching drivers out across the country - from speeding violations to using a phone whilst driving, or parking illegally. Below, the driving experts at Yell have identified the top ten speed camera capitals in Britain: Top 10 UK regions with the highest number of speeding offences The UK’s number one speeding hotspot in the UK is Surrey with 22,811 speeding violations between July-August 2023 . Within Surrey, the speed camera hotspot that has been catching the most drivers on the road is the M25/M3 Junction. The location coming in second for the most speeding violations is West Mercia. West Mercia saw 21,266 speeding violations in the period of July-August 2023, with the M5 J8 SB speed camera catching the most speeding violations. The location coming in third highest for speeding violations is Nottinghamshire, with 16,400 violations being caught. The M1 North Bound between Junction 26 and 27, Notts has been identified as the location that catches the most speeding violations in Nottinghamshire between July-August 2023.

Expert Reveals How to Create a Wimbledon-Worthy Lawn at Home

01 Jul, 2024

Wimbledon kicks off on July 1st and is expecting around 54.3 million people to be watching the matches this year. With that many eyes on the revered courts, it is understandable why Brits will be attempting to replicate their own Wimbledon-worthy lawn at home this summer. In the run-up to the biggest tennis event of the year, search demand for “how to make your lawn green” has increased by 85% over the last 14 days. With this in mind, gardening experts at Yell have spoken to gardener and landscaper Simon Akeroyd to find out how to achieve a Wimbledon-worthy lawn at home this season. The most popular lawns in the world Wimbledon is a quintessentially British event known for its lush green courts that have been meticulously groomed for 15 months before the championships. The Wimbledon Centre Court is one of the most famous lawns in the world thanks to its nine tonnes of grass seeds being planted every year with precision, and daily maintenance that helps create the Perennial Ryegrass courts we see today. The most popular lawn in the world when looking at search demand is The Old Trafford Cricket Ground, with a monthly search demand of 8,000. Kensington Palace Gardens comes in second for the most popular lawn in the world, with a monthly search demand of 3,300. Taking third place is the Wimbledon Centre Court, which sees a monthly search demand in the UK of 2,200.