Protect Grease Trap To Prevent Commercial Kitchen Sewer Blockage

Protect Grease Trap To Prevent Commercial Kitchen Sewer Blockage

In a busy commercial kitchen, managing waste effectively is crucial to maintaining a smooth operation. An important piece of the puzzle is your grease trap.

Grease traps are designed to intercept most of the grease and solids before they enter your sewer system. Your grease trap is essential for preventing the build-up of fats, oils, and grease (commonly referred to as FOG) that can clog pipes and drainage systems.

But if your grease trap isn’t functioning properly, you can end up with a clogged sewer system that leads to a host of problems. Let’s take a closer look at how to maintain and protect your grease trap to prevent sewer blockages.

Do You Need A Grease Trap Or Grease Interceptor?

The size of your commercial kitchen determines whether a grease trap or grease interceptor needs to be installed. They require different maintenance depending on which system you have.

Grease traps are usually smaller and located indoors, closer to the kitchen’s dishwashing or food preparation areas. These types of devices are designed for businesses that put out less grease.

Grease traps cool hot and greasy water by filtering it. As the water cools, FOG floats to the top for skimming. The rest of the food waste ends up on the bottom, allowing the cleaner water to exit into the sewer system.

Grease interceptors are much larger and are usually installed outside the building. They handle a higher volume of wastewater and operate on a similar principle as grease traps.

Filtering larger amounts of wastewater through a cooling point yields a lot more grease. Multiple sources throughout a facility can be fed into your grease interceptor.

The Impact of Grease on Sewer Systems

When grease is washed down the drain, it enters the sewer system where it can solidify and accumulate, leading to blockages and overflows. This not only disrupts the sewer system but also poses significant environmental and health risks.

Blockages can cause raw sewage to overflow into streets and nearby homes which can not only get you into hot water with local authorities, but severely damage your reputation.

Legal and Compliance Issues

Due to the severe consequences of grease blockages to the local sewer system, there are regulations in place governing grease disposal in commercial kitchens. Municipalities attempt to keep fats, oils, and grease (FOG) out of their sewers as part of the Federal Clean Water Act. Grease traps are designed to separate out any wastewater from entering the sewers and causing damage.

These regulations require the installation and proper maintenance of grease traps.

Compliance is not optional. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in hefty fines, legal action, and even the closure of business operations. It’s imperative for kitchen operators to be well-informed about the local laws and ensure they are followed meticulously.

Without a grease trap, any wastewater dumped down your sinks drains right into the sewers. Due to grease’s high melting point, it can solidify in plumbing. This improper disposal leads to environmental and health risks.

An excess of grease can build up and cause your plumbing to back up into your dishroom.

Best Practices for Kitchen Staff

Training your kitchen staff to minimize the amount of grease that goes down your drains and ensuring that excess grease is disposed of correctly can drastically reduce the burden on the grease trap and the sewer system at large.

Effective training includes documenting the proper ways to dispose of oil and grease, such as using absorbent materials for small amounts of leftover grease and scraping plates thoroughly before washing.

Staff participation is crucial. They are the frontline defense against grease entering the sewer system.

Maintenance and Cleaning

The effectiveness of your grease trap and the protection it provides in preventing sewer blockages depends largely on how well it is maintained. Different types of grease traps require specific maintenance schedules.

Smaller, under-sink grease traps may need to be cleaned more frequently than larger, in-ground grease interceptors.

Cleaning a grease trap is a smelly dirty job that should be performed after hours when you’re not open. It involves removing the accumulated fat, oil, and grease, ensuring that all components are functioning correctly, and that no blockages are present within the system.

Due to the size and amount of waste pumped through, it’s best to hire a professional service for cleaning grease interceptors. Like grease traps, cleaning is best performed after hours. Especially if your interceptor is located somewhere on your property.

Grease interceptors require specialized equipment to pump out the FOG and solids. This heavy duty cleaning ensures your grease interceptor functions at 100 percent.

Regular maintenance not only prevents sewer blockages but also extends the life of the grease trap itself, ensuring it continues to operate effectively for years to come.

If not properly maintained, your grease trap can wind up getting clogged with FOG and waste.

Protect Your Grease Trap To Prevent Sewer Blockages

Grease traps are not merely a regulatory requirement. They are a crucial part of maintaining the operational integrity of your commercial kitchen.

The Drain Strainer™ can help you avoid issues with what gets put down your 3 compartment sinks. No matter how much you focus on employee training, short cuts are always going to be taken and items are going to be put down your commercial garbage disposal that can harm it.

If you want to avoid issues with clogged grease traps or garbage grinders that are leaking or have burned out motors, The Drain Strainer™ is an effective and affordable commercial garbage disposal alternative that doesn’t require the use of water or electricity.

Invented by a former restaurant owner, The Drain Strainer™ can eliminate issues with mangled silverware or dangers from employees putting their hands down the commercial garbage disposal trying to clear out a clog.

Click here to find out more about how our food scrap collector can keep your grease trap free from clogs.

By understanding the importance of your grease trap and ensuring it is properly maintained, and training your staff on best practices, commercial kitchen operators can prevent harmful blockages and contribute to a safer, cleaner environment.

The collaboration of every team member in a commercial kitchen is essential to tackle the grease problem effectively and sustainably.

Let The Drain Strainer™ keep your 3 compartment sinks running smoothly by capturing food solids and avoiding any drain problems.

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