What Is A Grease Trap
A grease trap is a piece of plumbing hardware used by restaurants. We all know that putting grease down your kitchen sink is a no-no. You risk a significant clog requiring a professional plumber to clear it. Restaurants must have a grease trap to separate the different kinds of waste. FOG material rises to the top, leaving water and food waste at the bottom. Water is heavier than fats, oils, and greases. Water and non-FOG waste will sink, leaving FOG at the top.
How Does The Trap Work
A restaurant grease trap is a box with pipes draining acceptable wastewater through a sewer line. The tubes are set below the level of the FOG material and above the solids. The grease rises to the top and doesn’t get drawn into the sewer system when the trap is properly maintained. As a soup cools, the fat rises to the top, leaving the broth in the middle and solids below. It’s the same concept but less appealing.
An inlet pipe drains waste from the restaurant to the trap. You’ll find them outside most often. Tiny restaurants may have one indoors. Typically, there will be a manhole cover located near the restaurant that goes to the main sewer. Plumbers use this for access and maintenance. You may see steam rising from a manhole cover, often with an unpleasant odor. Now you know what that’s about!
Servicing Your Grease Converter
The grease converter, or trap, is a plumbing apparatus separating the solids and greases from the water. This is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind issue until you have a problem. Having this vital maintenance on a recurring schedule is in your restaurant’s best interest. Left unattended, you risk incurring fines from your municipality, safety hazards, or closing your restaurant. It must be draining correctly to avoid serious plumbing issues.
Maintenance Schedule For Grease Traps
All restaurant equipment needs ongoing cleaning. Regular maintenance is paramount to produce excellent food and follow health and safety guidelines. Every type of food business is different. A restaurant specializing in fried food will have more FOG than a smoothie bar. Regardless, the restaurant’s grease trap must be professionally cleaned and drained regularly. You risk waste backing up, clogs, and other nasty problems without proper maintenance.
A professional evaluation and the necessary execution will keep your grease trap in great shape. Abend Services can perform an inspection and make recommendations for recurring scheduling of the cleaning and draining. Call Abend Services today and keep your restaurant running smoothly!
