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Creating Excellent Energy Stores

How To Keep Your Restaurant's Grease Trap In Good Condition, Preventing Sewer Damage And Severely Clogged Drains

9 July 2018

Marion Rogers

Between fryer oil and fat residue on dishes, busy kitchens flush quite a bit of waste grease down the drain. The purpose of your grease interceptor is to prevent waste grease from entering into the municipal sewer pipes. Grease can cause clogs in the sewer lines and can even damage wastewater treatment facilities, so cities try to prevent any grease from ending up in the sewer system.

To keep your city's sewer in good condition and prevent your grease trap from clogging, it's important to keep your restaurant's grease trap in good condition by cleaning it regularly. Failure to do so may result in fines from the city, a backed-up grease trap, or damage to your grease trap. Here's what restaurant owners need to know about grease trap maintenance. 

Pump Your Grease Trap at Least Every Three Months

A large grease trap needs to be cleaned whenever it's one-quarter full (as measured from the bottom of the grease trap to the top of the water level). Under-sink grease interceptors should also be cleaned when they're one-quarter full. However, the small size of under-sink grease interceptors means that you may need to clean them out weekly.

You should also check local regulations for your restaurant. Many cities and counties specify that you need to pump your grease interceptor at least every three months. If you don't pump out your grease trap in accordance with the local laws, you can be subject to fines from the government.

If you don't clean your grease trap often enough, grease can spill into the municipal sewer system. It can also cause clogs in the grease interceptor itself, which can result in your wastewater backing up into your restaurant, forcing you to shut down your kitchen until the clog can be resolved.

Failing to pump out your grease trap regularly can cost you significant amounts of money in lost business and plumbing costs.

Don't Attempt to Unclog Your Grease Trap Yourself

When you do experience a clog due to your grease interceptor backing up, call a grease removal specialist. The hardened grease from a backed-up grease trap is very difficult to remove and requires special tools.

Pouring hazardous clog remover chemicals down your restaurant's drain can cause the grease to emulsify and drain into the municipal sewer system instead of remaining in your grease trap. Drain cleaner is highly caustic and can damage the grease trap itself, leading to expensive repairs.

You may also accidentally flush a large amount of hazardous chemicals into the sewer system while attempting to unclog your grease trap. Allowing grease or hazardous chemicals to wash into the sewer can result in fines from the city.

Hire a Pumping Company Who Recycles Your Used Grease

To help protect the environment, it's a good idea to use a grease removal company that puts your grease to good use. Many municipalities are cutting down on the amount of grease that they accept for disposal and charge high disposal fees for grease, so selecting a grease removal company that recycles your grease can help save your restaurant money.

Recycled grease is typically either converted to biodiesel through a chemical process or used for biogas production. Biogas is used to power turbines that generate electricity. Using your grease for energy production is a great way to make your restaurant more sustainable and reduce waste disposal fees.

By maintaining your restaurant's grease trap through regular grease removal, you reduce the risk of a kitchen plumbing emergency occurring during mealtimes. You'll also avoid fines from the city or poor ratings from a health inspector by keeping your grease trap clean and in good condition.

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