Tips on Maintaining a Grease Trap

A grease trap is one of your kitchens most important necessities.

When oils, fats or grease enter into sewer lines, it cools off rather quickly and then turns solid and gets stuck to the inside walls of pipes. This causes a trapping of food debris and particles. Within time, this solid mass of particles and debris will grow until it actually clogs the flow of water and in turn causes the sewer to become backed up. The best way to prevent these particles and debris from entering the sewer is to stop it before it starts.

This is where a grease trap comes in very handy. They can very effective in controlling almost all of the particles and food debris before entering into the sewer system. This is your first step in maintaining your sewer system. Proper upkeep and maintenance of a grease trap will ensure the right amount of separation before it has the chance to enter into the sewers.

Grease traps are small devices, almost always found in restaurants, that connect to the drains of the sinks inside. Grease traps are designed to block debris from one fixture at a time and only hold a small amount of debris. This is why you want to clean these grease traps weekly and in some restaurants cases, even daily. Keeping up with this grease trap maintenance will ensure none of the food scraps and debris enter into the sewer system and build up and cause the solidification and then the clogging of the entire sewer system. Raw sewage can then back up and overflow back into kitchen or bathroom areas of the restaurant or business, making it a very messy and smelly job to clean up.

With so much importance on a kitchens grease trap, it is crucial to keep them in top notch condition to help a restaurant avoid costly and dirty consequences.

The Understanding of a Grease Trap

There are two kinds of grease traps. Most popular, Interior traps are usually located in the kitchen near the sink or dishwasher and only hold smaller amounts of debris and food particles. Exterior traps are located on the outside your restaurant or building, hiding underground, and are always bigger. Most all cities and towns require a grease trap to be used in commercial kitchens due to the role they play in preventing pricey sewer issues and repairs. Always ensure a grease trap is easily accessible in all cases for easy inspection and maintenance if required by law.

Grease Trap Cleaning Process

When a licensed professional plumber or service repair technician comes to clean your restaurant grease traps, they will use a special plumbing pump to remove the debris, then scrape and clean the sides to remove any remaining particles. They will also measure the debris to determine how much has accumulated since your last cleaning. If your debris measures more than 25%, you may be told you need to have your grease traps cleaned on a more consistent basis.

Once the grease trap has been completely pumped free of debris, the plumbing technician should complete a report noting all of the details of your grease trap maintenance service and provide you with a copy for your records. In some cities, they require copies of these grease trap maintenance reports once the grease trap cleaning process is complete.

Maintaining a grease trap is a vital part of managing your restaurant and there are some important steps you can take to control debris. Preventing sewer blockage and backflow, dirty and extensive cleaning processes and high costs will ultimately offer a safer and more productive environment for your employees and ultimately your customers. The best way to avoid any back up issues with your grease trap is to schedule a regular routine maintenance with a professional plumber.