How to Prevent Your Kitchen’s Grease Trap from Overflowing

Commercial kitchen grease traps are vulnerable to overflow if they are not operated correctly. It is highly important that the trap is emptied at regular intervals. There are lots of businesses that offer grease trap cleaning in Houston. Typically, they will discharge the contents of the trap and make sure that the chambers and lines are clean.

What is a grease trap?

A grease trap is essentially a septic tank that commercial kitchens use to dispose of cooking grease. They are installed between the drain and the sewer. As the hot liquid grease goes down with other solid and liquid waste, it settles into a tank. At this phase, the solid food waste sinks to the bottom, the fat and grease floats to the top, and the water sits in the middle. The water then travels into the municipal sewer system to be treated as regular sewage, while the solid food waste and grease remains. All restaurants will have some kind of grease disposal system because, when it cools and solidifies, grease is notorious for causing blockages in sewer systems. The solution to this problem is the installation and use of grease traps. Their only downside is that they require regular cleaning and discharge. This is why there is lots of demand for grease trap cleaning.

Why do grease traps overflow?

Grease trap overflow is associated with clogging in the lines. Typically, lines become clogged when the grease trap is not discharged often enough. A grease trap will have three lines: an incoming line, an outgoing line, and a crossover line. The incoming line is how the waste from the kitchen sink first enters the trap. The waste is now in the first chamber, where the settling process takes place (i.e. fats at the top and solids at the bottom). The water in the middle then leaves the first chamber and travels into the second chamber via the crossover line. The second chamber’s role is to keep the water separate from the solid and fatty waste. Its contents get released into the municipal sewer system as normal wastewater. The role of grease trap cleaning in Houston is to deal with the solid waste as it builds up in the first chamber.

As the trap continues its process of separating the solids and releasing the water, the contents of the first chamber pile on top of each other. When the chamber is full, it must be emptied. If this is not done, the trap will overflow. When there is overflow, the incoming and crossover lines both become clogged because the excess grease has nowhere else to go. This results in clogged drains, and rotten smells coming from the drain. All of the solid food waste is accumulating and starting to rot. A typical grease trap cleaning in Houston will involve a discharge of the first chamber waste into a vacuum truck, where it is taken away for disposal.

Why is it so critical to schedule regular grease trap cleaning in Houston?

There is also an inspection and cleaning of the incoming and crossover lines to ensure that they are not clogged with any grease or solids. The best thing you can do for your grease trap is to stay on top of the discharge timetable. Otherwise, all that rotting waste that backs up will turn into a public health violation.

The Dangers of Pouring Grease Down the Drain – Everything you Need to Know

Fat is a bizarre substance. When it is hot in the pan, it flows like a liquid, almost like syrup or molasses. Once it cools off, it turns into a hard, sticky substance, kind of like glue. When you’ve got the hood fan going and the bacon is cooked, it is tempting to think “whatever, a little grease down the drain probably won’t hurt”. If you only do it once in a while, this is true. If you do it regularly, then you will have problems. Drains often become clogged when something is poured down as a hot liquid, but then solidifies when it reaches room temperature. The most notorious culprit for this is grease. Many commercial kitchens will use a grease trap to deal with this, but these are not fool proof. One day you will find yourself frantically searching for a “grease trap service near me.”

Trimming the fat

Blockages inside drains are often caused by fat deposits that pile up over many years. When the hot liquid grease goes down a drain, it might stay hot enough to flow for most of the journey. Even if most of it escapes down into the municipal sewer, there is always a little bit that gets left behind. Once it cools off to room temperature, it will solidify. As this happens, the inside drain becomes coated in the solid fat. The fat coating then makes it difficult for water to flow down the drain. If there are multiple layers that build up over repeated grease deposits, the drain will clog. You don’t want this to happen. Looking for grease trap services on short notice never ends well.

Salvaging the situation with a grease trap service near me

One thing you can do to salvage the situation before it gets worse is to pour boiling water and dish soap down the drain. The boiling water will help the most recent grease deposits to heat up and liquify again, and the dish soap will help to dissolve the liquid away before it hardens again. Of course, this technique is unlikely to do anything for the deposits that have been there a long time. It is more for grease that was poured down recently (i.e. last night or early this morning). The shorter the period of time it has been sitting as a solid, the more likely it is to liquify again.

Keeping the drains moving is all about breaking the bad habits. Another one to avoid is pouring cooking oil down the drain. Although it will not solidify, its high viscosity means that it will slow the drain as it comes into contact with the solid fats. To avoid the frantic search for a “grease trap service near me,” the next time you cook something greasy, let the grease harden in the pan and scoop it into the garbage. However, if you need help, know that there are grease trap services nearby that can save the day. Contact us today for grease trap services.

How a Grease Trap Keeps You Out of Trouble?

Have you ever wondered what grease traps are for? They are an essential piece of equipment in the food services industry, but many people do not understand why they are used or how they operate. Here is an introduction to grease traps, explaining how they can save you trouble when you opt for regular grease trap cleaning services.

Stop Clogs

Fats, oils, and grease (known as FOG) do not mix with water. When FOG makes its way down the drain, it does not effectively move through the sewer system. Instead, it congeals, forming a layer on the inside of the piping.

FOG tends to stick together, allowing the layer of grease to grow into a blockage. Once this occurs, the water flow will be stopped, which can cause sinks and drains to back up. This is a massive problem in the food services industry, potentially forcing owners to close their kitchens while the blockage is addressed.

While it is possible to hire grease trap cleaning services to remove a clog after it has formed, this is typically more expensive and more challenging than avoiding the blockage in the first place.

How do Grease Traps Work?

Want to avoid grease clogs? Grease traps and grease interceptors are a must. All drains connected to the kitchen must pass through a grease trap before connecting to the sewer.

Grease traps work by first slowing down the flow of water. Rather than allowing water to pass through the pipe in a few seconds, water takes at least 20 minutes to pass through a grease trap. This allows FOG to congeal in the trap and any grit to settle to the bottom of the tank.

Fats, oils, and grease are lighter than water, meaning FOG will accumulate on top of the water in the grease trap. Baffles in the grease trap are used to capture the grease, allowing the water to pass through while the FOG and grit stay inside.

Over time, FOG and grit will build up within the grease traps. If it is allowed to overfill, it can lead to a blockage. Traps must be regularly emptied by grease trap cleaning services to maintain proper function and comply with regulations.

Conform to Local Laws and Regulation

Food services businesses are often mandated to use grease trap cleaning services by regulatory bodies such as public utilities. FOG build-up doesn’t just happen within your piping. It also occurs in the wastewater system. Failing to adhere to these rules could lead to fines and other restrictions on your business.

It is essential to understand that these regulations may apply to your restaurant, even if you do not serve deep-fried food. It is a popular misconception that FOG build-up only occurs in fast food establishments. This is not the case. Almost all cooking involves some amount of fat and oil, so you need to manage FOG responsibly.

Using Reliable Grease Trap Cleaning Services

Are your grease traps due for a cleaning? Our team at Drane Ranger is experienced at emptying grease, grit, and lint traps. We offer professional, timely, and sanitary services to allow your business to stay on schedule.

Three Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs a Grease Trap

Introduction:

Restaurants have been using grease traps for a hundred years. This device is essential to operating a restaurant, and the concept is simple. It operates on the basis that animal fat is ten to fifteen percent less dense than water and wont mix. With this concept, the fat will rise on top of the water. When the water and fat enter the trap, it slows the flow of water and the grease is trapped in a system of baffles. Sediments sink to the bottom into a separate trap and the water is then pumped out into the water waste system. You need to have your restaurant grease trap cleaning completed on a regular basis.

Reason one for having your Restaurant grease trap cleaning completed.

To work within city regulations, a restaurant grease trap needs to be cleaned a minimum of every three months. Some busier restaurants should be cleaned more often. These regulations are enforced for compliance and to ensure the safety and health of employees and customers. Failing to have your restaurant grease trap cleaning completed could result in hefty fines.

Reason two for restaurant grease trap cleaning: what is that smell?

Fats, grease, and oil (FOG) separate from the wastewater; however, there are some particles that will remain in the FOG or on the bottom of the trap. Often, these particles are broken down by micro-organisms. During this activity, hydrogen sulphide, and sulphuric gases are emitted. Most commonly, these gases are creating the foul smell. Poor ventilation is another cause of profane smells. If FOG clogs the ventilation and there is no air flow, then the build-up can create a smell. Without proper ventilation, this smell will begin to seep back into the restaurant. The best solution for preventing odors or removing odors is ensuring your restaurant grease trap cleaning is completed on a regular basis, a minimum of once every three months.

Restaurant grease trap cleaning can prevent damage and costly repairs.

There are many ways that a trap can be damaged. One way is when sulphuric acid is emitted from the break-down of particles. This acid can interact with the trap itself and begin to create small holes, preventing the trap from working. Alternatively, some people do not clean their traps properly and instead opt to pour chemicals, such as odor removers, into the tank. These chemicals can corrode the trap, rendering it useless after a period of time.

Conclusion:

Restaurant grease trap cleaning needs to be done on a regular basis. Preventing overflow, smells, damage to the grease trap, and hefty fines are just some of the reasons you need to routinely schedule a cleaning. For more information about Restaurant grease trap cleaning, click here.

Guide for Taking Care of Your Grease Trap for Smooth Operations

Introduction

If you’re a restaurant owner, then you’re likely already familiar with the ins and outs of your grease trap. If you’re new to the restaurant business, then it’s important to get acquainted with it and to find out how to properly maintain it. If all this seems overwhelming, then you can always look up a “grease trap service near me” and have someone help you out.

Your grease trap is constantly collecting oils, fats, and grease. They come in all kinds of sizes. If you have a smaller one, you will need to maintain it more often. They can only hold a limited capacity of waste, which is why they need to be cleaned. You want to make sure you avoid letting it go so that it doesn’t get backed up and overflow. A grease trap overflowing could damage the plumbing, and if it got really serious, it could negatively impact the city’s waterways. It’s also bad for the environment and could warrant fines. A well-maintained grease trap will also help you pass your health inspection.

Here is a quick guide to taking care of your grease trap.

Proper Equipment

A benefit of searching for a grease trap service is that you will not have to worry about all of the equipment you need to clean a grease trap. Some things you may already have, like rubber gloves, a bucket, soap and water, and a shop vacuum. However, you also need a gas mask to protect yourself from the fumes, protective clothing, a crowbar, a wrench, a metal scraper, a flat wooden stick like a paint stirrer, and a marker. Once you have all the gear, you’re ready to get started—but that is a lot of investment in gear for something you could hire in an expert for.

Cleaning the Grease Trap

First, you must remove the top cover of your grease trap with the crowbar. Then you need to find out how full your tank is. Take your paint stick and pass it through the top layer of grease to the bottom of the tank. Mark the top with a marker. With either a bucket or your shop vacuum, drain the water. Avoid removing the grease. Let it sit at the bottom when you’re done, and be sure to keep the water for later. Now you can clean out the grease with your scoop and scraper. Make sure the walls of the tank are free of grease. Once it’s all gone, clean the whole tank with soap and water. Rinse all removable parts as well. Once it’s all nice and clean, put all the removable parts back and pour in your water.

This may sound simple enough, but there’s a lot that can go wrong. You could easily damage seals or miss cleaning areas that could become a health—or clog—risk in the future. Plus, for all the effort you put in, you could easily have called a grease trap service. It’s the easy and quick solution.

Conclusion: it’s better to find a grease trap service near me

Keeping your kitchen and restaurant clean is important for your business and your customers. It needs to be maintained regularly. It’s a tough job cleaning the grease trap on your own. It’s also hard to do it as regularly and often as is needed. Save your energy by searching for a “grease trap service near me”. Let an expert take care of it for you and focus on the other smooth operations of your business. Contact us to know more information.

What are the Protective Grease Trap Cleaning Solutions?

Grease trap cleaning is an incredibly important part of the cleaning and maintenance routines. Improperly cleaned grease traps can cause incredible amounts of damage and may even result in costly fines from the municipality. Grease trap cleaning is an incredibly important part of the cleaning and maintenance routines. Improperly cleaned grease traps can cause incredible amounts of damage and may even result in costly fines from the municipality.

Importance of Routine Grease Trap Cleaning

Grease traps are necessary for keeping the grease and fats from a commercial kitchen from clogging up the sewage system. When properly maintained, these devices effectively filter out fats, oils, and grease (also known as FOG) from the wastewater. If FOG is allowed to enter the sewage system, it can cause extensive problems for both the property owner and the municipality. Most local governments have laws regarding grease traps.

Routine grease trap cleaning (https://draneranger.com/services/grease-grit-lint-traps/) is essential to maintaining a properly functioning trap. Grease traps must be cleaned and emptied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The timing between cleanings depends on the size of the trap and how often it is being used, as well as the rules in your specific municipality.

Common Grease Trap Problems

Neglecting or delaying grease trap cleaning can cause serious problems for your business. There are a few common problems that can occur, as well as more serious issues.

•  Clog in the incoming water line

Without routine cleaning and maintenance, you risk a clog in your incoming water line. Water can start to back up into the grease trap and cause it to malfunction.

•  Clog in the outgoing line

A clog in the outgoing line means that your grease trap could overflow and cause a lot of damage and mess.

•  Grease trap is full

If your grease trap gets full, it can cause a number of issues, including clogs and backups. If properly maintained, the grease trap should never get full.

If routine maintenance and grease trap cleaning is not performed, you run the risk of requiring costly repairs and cleanups. A dirty grease trap also comes with an unpleasant smell that no restaurant wants their customers to experience.

Benefits of Hiring Professionals

When you work with a professional company that specializes in grease trap cleaning, you can rely on effective and efficient service. Let the professionals take care of your grease traps so you don’t have to pay the costly price of procrastinating on doing this dirty job. Our professional teams here at Drane Ranger have the right tools, equipment, and knowledge to properly take care of your grease traps.

Our team has been committed to keeping your grease traps working smoothly since 1985. Not only do we thoroughly and effectively take care of routine grease trap cleaning and maintenance, but we also pride ourselves on our excellent and professional customer service. Our technicians are trained and certified in local and industry regulations, so you can relax knowing that we have your grease traps under control.

Give us a call to find out how our experienced teams can help you with your grease trap cleaning, lint trap cleaning, liquid waste management, lift station cleaning, wet well cleaning, mud pits, and grit traps.

Why Grease Trap Installation is a Social Responsibility?

Are you debating whether to invest in grease trap installation and grease trap cleaning in Houston? It’s critical to understand that grease trap cleaning won’t just provide your business with a host of benefits; it’s also a vital social responsibility. Grease traps can help to prevent problems such as sewage blockages, disease spreading, and fires, as well as save you on energy consumption and waste. Let’s take a dive into what makes grease traps so important for community wellbeing.

Sewage & Pollution Risks

Grease trap installation and grease trap cleaning prevent clogs and buildups in your pipes, preventing serious sewage problems. Without grease traps, you run the risk of causing sewage leaks and clogs throughout your business, nearby residences, and public water supplies. This makes grease trap installation and maintenance the socially responsible thing to do because it prevents disaster in your community.

Health & Safety Risks to the Community

Businesses without a grease trap pose huge health and safety risks to their community. Grease trap cleaning is designed to deter vermin, disease, and other unpleasant organisms from making themselves at home in your restaurant or kitchen, and that can’t be overlooked. You have a social responsibility to the people that work at or frequent your business, and their health needs to be a top priority. You don’t want people getting sick or possibly dying because of an avoidable issue.

Save on Energy Consumption

Grease trap installation and grease trap cleaning will also help you to save on energy consumption because they ensure that everything is running without the clogs that can cause inefficiency. Conserving energy is a crucial social responsibility that protects the environment and saves you money at the same time, so why wouldn’t you invest in it?

Recycle Waste

Did you know that brown grease can actually be recycled in some cases? Some grease trap cleaning services provide recycling options for your grease trap waste, such as converting it into biofuel at the proper facilities. This is a great way to avoid sending it to a waste plant where it will cause a ton of greenhouse gas emissions. Your grease can get a second life helping to fuel vehicles or machinery instead of fossil fuels, and that makes grease trap installation a clear responsibility for the environment. If you want to start social change, reducing and recycling your waste is key.

Fire Hazards

A clean kitchen is harder to set ablaze than a greasy one. Without proper grease trap installation and grease trap cleaning in Houston, your business will become a dangerous fire hazard. Should a fire spark from the stove and spread throughout a kitchen that has clogged and overflowing grease, the disaster will be tenfold compared to a highly maintained kitchen. Fires put everyone at risk because there is no telling how far they will spread or who they will harm. Take the socially responsible path and ensure you’ve reduced fire hazards as much as possible.

The Key to Grease Crap Cleaning in Houston

Overall, grease trap installation and grease trap cleaning in Houston are both immensely beneficial for businesses and a pivotal social responsibility that can’t be ignored. From sewage to fires, grease traps protect your business and your community. Contact us for more details.

Grease Trap is Not Just a Dirty Word!

Grease traps can be gross. But they shouldn’t be. In fact, your grease traps should contribute to the overall cleanliness and efficiency of your kitchens. Here are a few reasons why a regular grease trap cleaning service (https://draneranger.com/services/grease-grit-lint-traps/) is important, and how it can help your kitchen stay clean and running at its best.

1. The Smell is Overpowering

Grease traps are fairly self-evident: they trap fats that can’t go into the regular waste disposal system. For many professional kitchens, these traps can get filled up very quickly. The most immediate impact is the smell. The rotting odor can waft throughout the kitchen and beyond, and that is never good for business. A regular and scheduled grease trap cleaning service is your best protection against this smell, and it provides a way to ensure that your kitchen smells, and is, clean.

2. Uncleaned Traps Only Get Worse

When kitchens ignore their grease traps, the smell gets worse, but so does the actual cleaning. The grease that accumulates over time will harden, seep into more parts of the kitchen, and eventually become nearly impossible to clean. Eventually, you won’t be able to simply swap out the trap. You will need full-scale renovations. But by hiring a regular grease trap cleaning service, you can enjoy clean grease traps that are easily maintained, meaning less time cleaning and more time cooking.

3. They Make Kitchens Inefficient

If the smell and the impossibility of cleaning doesn’t make someone want to get a regular grease trap cleaning service, then maybe this will: uncleaned grease traps make kitchens less efficient. This isn’t just because staff are working in poor conditions, but also because uncleaned traps gum up a kitchen’s actual processes. It means that machines run less effectively, things drain noticeably slower, and overall kitchen times increase dramatically. Cleaned and well-maintained grease traps will help kitchens get food out faster, which means happier customers and faster table turnover.

4. Your Plumbing will Thank You

Our kitchens are interconnected more than we think. Every drain, every piece of equipment, eventually hooks up together in some respect, and that is most common in the plumbing system. When grease traps are ignored, they can eventually overflow, and that means the grease will seep into the pipes. From there, it can cause all kinds of problems that are very expensive to fix. A regular grease trap cleaning service will ensure the grease never gets into your pipes and is instead disposed of properly.

Find a Grease Trap Cleaning Service Today

Grease trap doesn’t have to be a dirty word. In fact, clean grease traps are key to running an efficient and successful kitchen. If you run professional kitchens, then you know it pays to have a regular grease trap cleaning service. Drane Ranger is dedicated to offering quick, affordable, and effective grease trap cleaning and other waste disposal services. Contact us today if you want to stop thinking about your grease traps and let your kitchen focus on what it does best: make food.

What is a Grease Trap? How Does it Function?

If you are running any sort of professional business that deals with grease, such as a restaurant, you must know that you are required by law to have a grease trap—and to maintain it with regular grease trap cleaning. Without a grease trap, all the fats, oils, and greases (FOG), can get into the municipal water systems and cause serious and costly damage to the system as they build up. FOGs are able to cling to pipe walls easily, and as more of it gets into drainage pipes, and ultimately the sewer pipes, clogs can start, backing up sewage and causing damage to buildings through pipe back-ups and possibly even burst pipes.

Every year, millions of dollars are spent in municipalities around the country trying to unclog their sewer pipes due to inconsiderate people that are flushing FOGs down their drains without realizing the consequences. If you are a restaurant or another business with a grease trap, you aren’t immune to consequence; without regular grease trap cleaning, your grease traps may not be functioning fully, and that means they could be allowing FOGs through the system.

What is a Grease Trap?

Grease traps have been around for well over a century; they are devices that are capable of capturing FOGs before they can make it into the municipal sewage systems, all while still allowing clear water through to the sewer system. Once captured, FOGs have to be removed from grease traps every so often in order to maintain the function of the grease trap. Grease trap cleaning is important, and it should be done professionally—especially if you have a very large underground tank.

How Does a Grease Trap Function?

Grease traps allow clear water to pass through them while capturing FOGs to ensure the continued safe function of sewer systems. FOGs, by their very nature, being made up of animal fats and vegetable oils, mostly are less dense than normal water; therefore, they will naturally float to the top of any body of water. Many grease traps will first strain solids using a removable strainer, then will allow any remaining FOGS into a basin of water. However, if they do allow solids through, those will eventually settle at the bottom of the trap. In the main trap, the FOGS will naturally float up to the top so that they can be removed later by a professional grease trap cleaning company for disposal. Only clear water is allowed to exit the grease trap because the outlet pipe is positioned so that it is only within clear water. The FOGs will be floating at the top, and solids will settle at the bottom.

There are three main types of grease traps. Manual grease traps require you to skin the FOGs and remove solids manually every few weeks to ensure the system remains fully functional. Automatic grease traps have systems within them that skim the top of the surface regularly and deposit the FOGs in an easy to empty container externally. Finally, graphic grease traps are used for large-volume businesses; they work similar to manual grease traps, except that they are placed in the ground, externally to the business, due to their size. Grease trap cleaning professionals will know how to clean your trap properly.

All types of grease traps will require regular maintenance; however, automatic systems will require less cleaning due to their skimming functions. Grease trap cleaning is an important step in maintenance because it gets rid of built-up FOGs and allows professionals to check on the system to ensure it is still working properly.

If you have a grease trap and need to set up regularly scheduled grease trap cleaning, then click this page now or contact Drane Ranger today to set up an appointment.

How Do Restaurants Get Rid of Grease?

How do restaurants get rid of grease? A lot of business owners wonder this when they’re starting out. The simple answer is that they hire professional grease trap cleaning services, but why is this the best option, and what are the benefits? Let’s take a dive into the reasons why grease trap cleaning services are the only legitimate option for restaurants who need to get rid of their grease.

Professional Service is Effective

One of the key reasons that restaurants hire grease trap cleaning services to get rid of their grease is professionalism. Grease trap cleaning companies know exactly what they are doing and will ensure that the job is done right so you don’t encounter problems down the road. Grease trap cleaning must be done properly, and only those that have the necessary experience can do that.

No Legal Hassles

Did you know that grease disposal has to abide by certain local regulations and laws or you could face legal trouble? Restaurants hire grease trap cleaning services because they have an intricate knowledge of all the legal requirements surrounding waste disposal for their area, and this allows business owners to guarantee they won’t be in trouble should anything go wrong. This includes fines for breaking environmental conversation rules, polluting public spaces or water, and more, so you really can’t wing it with this kind of job.

Keep Your Restaurant in Shape

Some restaurant owners might try to skimp on grease trap cleaning rather than hire a service, which can be a severe detriment to their business. If your grease trap isn’t cleaned properly, your restaurant will likely begin to take on an unpleasant odor that drives away customers, and you may not be able to pass health inspections. Hiring a grease trap cleaning service regularly is the best way to assure your business can continue to operate.

Avoid Serious Leaks, Clogs, and Damages

Restaurants also hire professional grease trap cleaning services to avoid serious issues that can cost them a lot of money. Grease trap cleaning services know how to deal appropriately with leaks and clogs, and they know how to do so without risking damage to your equipment. Trying to handle these things yourself often just worsens the situation, and you’ll end up paying more for a repair service.

Time is Money

Not to mention, restaurant owners are also incredibly busy. Many restaurant owners have a variety of businesses to take care of, and they don’t have time to also become experts at grease trap cleaning. Hiring a grease trap cleaning service allows restaurant owners to focus on the parts of their business that matter, which means they can concentrate on profits rather than kitchen maintenance. Time is money, and restaurant owners shouldn’t overwork themselves trying to learn a whole new occupation–the investment in a grease trap cleaning service will save you money in the long run.

Overall, restaurants get rid of their grease through professional grease trap cleaning services, which provide a variety of benefits. Grease trap cleaning companies deliver effective, efficient services that help you avoid legal, equipment, and customer issues. Hiring a grease trap cleaning service regularly is essential for any restaurant owner that wants to stay in business. Click the link above to learn more!