Running cold water when dumping hot water

[heidih]

As a teen I got quite serious steam burns on both wrists when I took a Le Creuset Dutch oven off the stove, pulled back the lid an inch, and poured the boiling liquid down the drain. I was boiling some carrots and the idea was that the carrots would remain in the pot as the water was poured off. My mother told me that I should have had the cold water running and dumped the hot water into that stream. I have no recollection of seeing a colander in our kitchen.

To this day I run the cold water when I am dumping or draining hot liquid. I see it as a neutralizing effect. I do it even when using a colander or strainer.

When friends are over they always give me a quizzical look though they will say it makes some sort of sense. Does anyone else do this?

[Darienne]

Never thought about this before, but it does make sense. Nothing like an accident or burn to make one careful from then on. Painful way to learn.

[Norm Matthews]

I have seen Martha Stewart do it. I have never done it and never had any mishaps... knock on wood.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I learned to do this when I had enamel sinks - dumping really scalding hot water on them when they're chilled can crack the enamel. It makes sense to do it to avoid being scalded, too - I never thought about it that way.

[lesliec]

My mother always had the cold tap running when she poured hot water off something. Her explanation was it reduced the amount of steam released into the kitchen.

Although I'm far from convinced it actually does reduce steam, I always run the tap too.

[dcarch]

I never do.

Fat, grease, scum, growth, slime------ tend to collect in the sink's plumbing line. Pouring boiling hot water down the drain can help melt the nasty stuff away.

dcarch

[Pierogi]

I/we never used to. Then, about 5 or so years ago, on the various TeeeVeee cooking shows (including Marfa), I started seeing all the hosts advocate doing so to "protect your plumbing".

In this day and age, when so much of our discharge plumbing is PVC, instead of the olden days cast-iron, it makes a certain level of sense to me. Although in theory, I agree with dcarch about the utility of a good boiling water purge every so often, I'd also really rather avoid weakening any soft spots or joints that might be getting a little tired.

So now, I routinely do. I either use a footed colander, or balance the strainer between the hump in the middle and the edge, and run a stream of cold tap water while I'm pouring out the hot stuff. I have to say, I have noticed less of a blast back of steam since I've been doing this.

[ScoopKW]

Is there a plumber here, who can professionally speak to the wisdom of pouring boiling water down the drain and into the pipes/pvc? Or of tempering boiling water with cold tap water?

Usually, we take the pot outside and pour the boiling water on anthills and weeds that we want dead. Sometimes we pour it down the sink with the disposer, to mitigate odor.

EDIT -- PVC, not PEX

Edited July 5, 2011 by ScoopKW (log)

[dcarch]

I have been dumping boiling water in my PVC drain system for over 30 years.

dcarch

[pyrguy]

Not a plumber but an inspector. PVC pipe has a temperature rating less than 120 degrees. That is what the water heater does. That is why there is CPVC piping for hot water systems.

You may not hurt the pipes with an occasional dump of boiling water BUT...

Soft plastic can do funny things

[rgruby]

Always have the cold running. The hot/boiling water hits it and is cooled somewhat as it mixes. I don't know if there is less visible steam, but it feels to me like there is - or it is somewhat cooled. AFAIK the supposed reason to do this is to prevent burns. Also, if the liquid splashes up, some of it is likely to be the cold stuff.

I'm going to keep doing it.

Cheers,

Geoff

[torakris]

I started running the cold water when poring hot water in the sink a couple years ago on the advice of my plumber here in Japan.