Maintaining your Grease Trap Perth is essential for preventing costly backups and overflows. Clogged drains can lead to lengthy cleaning processes and fines from city sewer authorities.
A professional knows how to keep your trap running smoothly and in compliance with local laws and cradle-to-grave regulations. They also know how to dispose of the FOG properly so that it doesn’t harm animals, waterways, or humans.
Clean It Regularly
Grease traps are designed to collect and separate fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from wastewater. However, too much FOG can cause problems, leading to clogs and overflows.
Regular cleaning of the grease trap is one of the best ways to prevent these issues. But it’s important to do it correctly. The process isn’t quick or easy and should be performed by a trained technician.
During the cleaning process, technicians should scrape the walls and baffles of the grease interceptor thoroughly to remove any adhered grease buildup. This will help to prevent future clogs and ensure that the grease is properly disposed of by local regulations.
It’s also important to educate staff on proper waste disposal practices. It’s tempting for staff to pour cooking oil down the drain, but this can lead to costly clogs and overflows in your kitchen and plumbing system. And, of course, it’s illegal to dump hot used cooking oil into the environment.
A regular schedule of grease trap cleaning will help keep your restaurant in compliance with local regulations and will keep the environment safe for employees, customers, and the community. It will also help reduce the costs of clogs and unpleasant odors.
When scheduling a grease trap cleaning, make sure you have everything you need, including a pry bar, a heavy-duty plastic trash bag, a small bucket, and a steel pot scrubber. It’s also a good idea to have a garden hose handy so that you can quickly rinse away any soap and debris that washed out during the cleaning process. If you’re cleaning your trap, it’s important to wear rubber gloves and a face mask to protect yourself from the decomposing waste and odor.
Keep It Clean
One of the best ways to keep your grease trap in good condition is by keeping it clean. This means regularly checking for signs of a blockage and having it professionally cleaned. This is the best way to ensure that your grease trap and interceptor remain healthy, which can help prevent clogs and smells in your restaurant.
The most obvious sign that a grease trap or interceptor needs attention is an overflow. This could be as simple as water or grease escaping the manhole cover outside, but it’s also likely that something more serious is going on. If your grease trap overflows, you should immediately contact a plumber or your service provider to come out and clean it.
Odors are another sign that a grease trap isn’t working properly. This is especially true if the odor is very strong and lasts for an extended period. It can be tempting to try and reduce these odors with caustic chemicals, but this can damage the trap and cause other problems in your restaurant’s plumbing system.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep a grease trap from smelling is by regularly pouring boiling water down drains. This helps kill bacteria that can cause odors, and it can also eliminate blockages and keep the trap functioning smoothly. Encourage your kitchen staff to add this task to their daily duties and keep up with it regularly. This is an excellent preventative measure that will save you money and keep your customers coming back for more. In addition, it will protect your septic tank and leach field from the harmful effects of dumping fats, oils, and grease down the drains.
Don’t Overfill It
It’s not always easy to know if your grease trap is reaching its capacity. However, it’s important to avoid overfilling your trap because doing so can lead to several issues such as slow drainage and clogs. It can also cause your kitchen’s plumbing to back up into your restaurant and potentially your building’s sewage system, which can create health and safety concerns for your staff and customers.
The first sign of a full grease trap is often water pooling around the drain. This can happen in either the incoming line, the outgoing line, or the crossover line between the two. If this happens, you should immediately contact a professional to empty the trap. Another common sign that a grease trap is close to its capacity is if the drains aren’t draining as quickly as usual. This is because the FOGs have accumulated in the trap and are restricting the flow of water.
Another way to prevent overfilling your grease trap is to use a strainer or scraper at the sinks to remove any solid grease or food waste before it enters the drain. It’s also a good idea to have a commercial cleaning company provide cleaning services for your grease trap regularly to minimize the risk of overflow.
When it’s time to clean your grease trap, be sure to wear safety gloves and goggles to protect yourself from any potential splashes or fumes. Before you start, remove the dowel from the lid of the trap and use a tape measure to note how many inches of waste are present in the trap. You can also take a picture or draw a diagram of the trap’s interior to help you remember how to reinstall each component after the cleaning process is complete.
Don’t Overuse Chemicals
Grease traps are a vital part of any restaurant, so it’s important to be mindful of the issues they can cause. If your grease trap starts to fail, it can cause problems for your business, like blockages, overflows, and foul odors. These problems can shut down your kitchen or slow down operations, costing you money. By monitoring your grease trap, you can prevent these problems and keep your restaurant running smoothly.
Avoid using any chemicals in your grease trap. Adding bleach, enzymes, or other chemical cleaners to your grease trap can kill the natural bacteria that work to break down FOG. This can lead to the FOG flowing down into the wastewater system and clogging pipes. It can also result in costly sewer backups, odor issues, and other unfortunate charges.
When cleaning your trap, always make sure to double-line a garbage pail and use a heavy-duty scooper. You should also have another bucket handy for the water you’ll use to clean the trap. This will prevent you from mixing waste and water, which can create a stinky, messy mess that’s hard to get rid of. You can also use kitty litter or other absorbent substances to help reduce odor.
Having your grease trap or interceptor serviced regularly is one of the best ways to prevent foul odors, clogs, and overflows. When you hire a professional, they’ll ensure your trap is working as it should. They’ll also make sure you’re compliant with local, state, and federal laws. Plus, they can handle all the paperwork for you. So what are you waiting for? Call a professional today. They’ll help you prevent problems with your grease trap and interceptor and save you time, hassle, and money.
Don’t Skip Maintenance
Grease traps that aren’t cleaned properly and regularly can lead to costly problems. Not only do they emit foul odors that can affect the productivity of your restaurant, but they also cause FOG to seep into sewer systems and contribute to thousands of sanitary sewer overflows across the country every year. Educate your staff on the proper ways to discard used cooking oil, and have your plumbing service hydro-jet your grease traps at least twice a year. This prevents the inevitable buildup of food waste, grease, and other solid debris from clogging the line.
In addition to regular cleaning and pumping, your commercial kitchen grease trap should be inspected by a professional. Inspections can help identify clogs, leaks, and other maintenance issues that would otherwise go unnoticed. Regular inspections can also ensure that you comply with all local grease control and wastewater treatment requirements.
The rule of thumb is that your grease trap should be pumped when it reaches a quarter of its capacity. This is because the more FOG it contains, the less effective the trap becomes.
Stay Clear Of Chemicals
Many products advertised to degrease your grease trap can kill the natural bacteria that is vital for keeping the system working correctly. Most of these chemicals also don’t break down the FOG but simply separate it from the wastewater. This can lead to the FOG flowing downstream and clogging other drains and pipes, as well as leading to expensive unfortunate charges from your municipality or wastewater treatment company.
Instead of chemical cleaners, try using a bacterial enzyme product designed to break down FOG and prevent grease trap clogs. Consult with your service provider to find the right product for your needs.