Grease Trap Perth, or interceptors, prevent fats, oils and grease from leaving a restaurant kitchen and entering the sewer system. These devices help to protect kitchen facilities from costly plumbing issues and the local city sewage system from blockages and overflows.
Grease traps work through a process of gravity separation where the FOG material floats while solids sink. FOG materials are then removed from the trap for disposal.
FOGs are a serious problem that can cause many plumbing problems and clogs. They can build up in drain lines and sewer systems, leading to backups and other problems that can cause costly repair bills. They also pose a health and safety risk, especially when leaking into kitchen facilities.
The best way to control FOGs in your kitchen is by not putting them down the drain in the first place. This means educating staff on what is and isn’t safe to put down the sink, providing grease disposal containers for unsafe items, and being cautious about what goes down the drain overall. It’s also a good idea to scrape and dry-wipe any excess FOGs off pots, pans, and utensils before washing them.
Another great tool to help control FOGs is a grease trap or interceptor. These devices fit underneath the sink in a commercial kitchen and help prevent FOGs from leaving the kitchen and going down the drain into the sewer system. They’re often required by local ordinances to protect the city sewer system.
A grease trap is typically smaller than an interceptor and can hold between 10-50 gallons of FOGs at a time. A grease interceptor is larger and has a higher flow capacity. It’s important to consider your wastewater levels and FOG flow rates when choosing a grease trap or interceptor.
Both devices work by slowing down and cooling the water that enters the trap. They then separate the FOGs from the water with baffles and plastic walls. Because FOGs are 10-15% less dense than water, they float to the top of the trap while solids sink to the bottom. The FOGs and solids are removed from the trap and pumped out by a grease pumping truck. The waste is often taken to a landfill for disposal.
Both grease traps and interceptors need to be cleaned regularly to ensure they are working properly. FOGs can build up in a grease trap when not properly cared for, which leads to clogs and other plumbing problems. A professional service, such as Mahoney Environmental, will come out and clean your grease trap at regular intervals to keep it functional, avoid expensive repair costs, and protect your restaurant from costly fines.
Recycling Cooking Oil
Grease traps and interceptors are an essential part of most commercial kitchens. They prevent fats, oils and grease (FOGs) from exiting a kitchen and entering sewer waste systems, where it can stick to the inside of pipes, causing build-ups and clogs. Most cities require restaurants to install and maintain grease traps. While these devices cannot prevent all FOGs from draining into a sewer system, they are an effective tool to reduce the amount of FOGs that make their way into the city sewer system.
A grease trap is a box-like receptacle that kitchen wastewater flows through before entering the sewer waste system. This receptacle—technically, a grease interceptor—intercepts, captures or “traps” FOGs. FOGs are 10 to 15 percent less dense than water, so they float on top of the wastewater. The FOGs are separated from the rest of the wastewater by an engineered system of baffles and plastic wall structures. Once the FOGs are trapped, they are pumped away by grease pumping trucks for recycling.
FOGs that are poured down sinks or into garbage disposals can easily clog drains and sewer lines, which can cause flooding, backups, and costly repairs for the restaurant. FOGs can also contaminate drinking water and create unpleasant odors that can negatively affect the dining experience for customers.
Restaurant owners can minimize the amount of FOGs that go down their drains by using paper towels to wipe pots, pans and cookware before washing them. They can also recycle their used cooking oil, either through local recycling centers or by searching online for companies that purchase cooking oil in bulk.
A regular cleaning schedule is the best way to keep a grease trap in good condition and in compliance with city ordinances. A restaurant should have its grease trap inspected and cleaned regularly by a reputable company that specializes in this service. Chemical preventative maintenance will help control the amount of grease build-up in the trap, so it will need to be pumped out less frequently. This will save money in both fuel costs and fees from the grease trap pumping company, as well as provide a cleaner working environment for employees.
Chemical Preventative Maintenance
Grease traps are a necessity for facilities like restaurants, bakeries, schools, and cafes that experience lots of FOG drainage. This FOG can clog drains and septic systems, but the primary function of a grease trap is to intercept this greasy waste before it can affect the city sewer system. Often, these traps are required by county codes to keep restaurants from accidentally sending fatty waste into the public sewer system, which would cause costly sewage backups for businesses and the city itself.
Despite the importance of grease traps in commercial kitchens, many restaurant owners neglect their maintenance and cleaning. This can lead to disastrous consequences, not just for the cleanliness of kitchens and reducing odors but for the health of employees and customers and the environmental impact.
The best way to avoid these issues is to take preventative measures. For example, educating staff about what is and isn’t okay to put down the drains, providing staff with disposal containers for unsafe cooking oil, and installing strainers in sink drains can reduce the amount of FOG that goes down drains. It is also important to regularly clean the traps to keep them functioning properly, as well as educating staff about proper waste disposal practices.
In addition to preventing blockages, regularly cleaning grease traps can help minimize the smell of a rotting kitchen. It can also save restaurants money in the long run. A clogged grease trap can be expensive to repair and is a safety hazard, and failing to clean a grease trap can result in a fine from the city.
A grease trap system is a necessary investment for any food service establishment, and regular maintenance and cleaning will help to keep it functional without affecting business operations. To learn more about implementing a grease management solution for your restaurant, contact Total Enviro Services Inc. today to schedule an estimate. Our team of professionals is ready to help you keep your kitchen running smoothly and compliant with local regulations.
Regular Pump Outs
Grease traps are vital in reducing the amount of fats, oils and grease that enters sewer systems. But they do not eliminate it completely. That’s why it is important to keep a regular maintenance schedule with professional plumbing services for both cleaning and pumping. Depending on the size of your grease trap, you will need to have it pumped and cleaned at least every three months.
It’s easy for the inlet and outlet tees to get blocked with FOGs if the grease trap is not pumped out at an appropriate frequency. A professional will arrive in a truck equipped with a large tank to suck the accumulated grease and solids from your trap. They will dispose of the waste properly in accordance with local regulations.
A dirty, full grease trap is a health risk for staff and customers. It also creates a foul smell that lingers in the kitchen. In addition, a clogged trap is one of the main causes of sanitary sewer overflows that affect thousands of communities each year.
Local governments require commercial kitchens to install and regularly maintain grease traps to prevent sewer blockages and environmental contamination. Keeping a scheduled routine of grease trap cleaning, inspections and pump outs helps ensure compliance with these regulations and aligns with your business’s sustainability goals.
Preventing Blocked Drains
The most common cause of grease trap clogs is food particles that make it into the drains. The best way to minimize this is by educating employees on what can and cannot be put down the sinks, providing a separate garbage disposal for unsafe items, and implementing preventative measures such as installing strainers that prevent larger solids from entering the trap in the first place.
Regular pump outs also help keep your drains working efficiently. The sludge that is pumped from the trap needs to be disposed of properly or it could cause blockages in the kitchen and the rest of the building. A professional will take the sludge from the trap, dump it in an approved location, and then clean the trap to restore its proper function.
