Why Should You Get the Restaurant Grease Trap Cleaned Regularly?

If you have ever worked in an industrial kitchen or the restaurant business, then you are probably all too familiar with grease traps. For those that aren’t, grease traps separate oils, fats, and grease from wastewater before it flows into the municipal sewer system. It’s an essential component in keeping a restaurant kitchen running smoothly. Unfortunately, restaurant grease trap cleaning isn’t a pleasant activity, but here are 4 reasons why you need to do it.

1.  Avoid Costly Repairs and Sewer Problems

As the remnants of your grease trap break down over time, they release an excessive amount of hydrogen sulfur gas. If these remnants are routinely ignored, the gas can lead to the creation of sulfuric acid. Even if your grease trap is made of concrete or steel, the acid can still damage the tank. Regular restaurant grease trap cleanings can help you avoid the possibility of having to pay a hefty replacement fee and damaging your sewer system. When the grease trap becomes too full, it can cause a blockage which results in a nasty plumbing emergency. You may even have to shut your business down while the issues are being dealt with.

2.  Starting to Smell Questionable (and Offensive) Odors?

Sulfuric acid is only one of the consequences that arises from infrequently cleaning your restaurant grease trap, the other consequence is questionable, and offensive, odors. Obviously if your business allows fat, oil, and grease to accumulate, they will naturally begin to omit a plethora of foul scents. Your kitchen employees may have already started to notice, but soon, so will your potential customers. Not only will this impact your business, but it can impact the health of you and your staff. The only way to combat these rotting aromas making their way up the pipes, which are connected to the grease trap, is to invest in frequent restaurant grease trap cleanings.

3.  The Environment Matters

Failing to schedule regular restaurant grease trap cleanings can lead to an eventual leakage. Blocks and leaks have a harmful impact on the environment because the waste stored in grease traps is extremely hard to break down. It can cause pollution and harm to animal life. If an outdoor grease trap is not covered properly, rainwater can accumulate inside and cause grease to run off into parking lots and down storm drains.

4.  Don’t Get Fined

Restaurants are legally required to ensure they are maintaining grease trap cleanings. If the problem is continuously ignored, the solid waste turns into a thick hard mass which is almost impossible to clean. Not only will this cause a blockage, but your business can get penalized if waste from your grease trap is leaked into the municipal sewer system. Why pay a fine, or even navigate a potential lawsuit, that is easily avoidable! Hire a professional to ensure the job is done in a timely and effective manner. The law varies from state to state, but on average, you must schedule a cleaning every 60 to 90 days.

Easy Steps to Reaching a Dependable Grease Trap Cleaning Service

When you are running a business that has a large kitchen, like a restaurant, you know that dealing with FOGS (Fats, Oils and Greases) can be a hassle if you don’t have a good trap set up, or a dependable grease trap cleaning service on hand. In 2015 the city of Houston was spending $1.5 to $2 million per year of taxpayer money on pipeline repairs according to Alvin Wright, a senior staff analyst with the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department. If you don’t want your business adding to those costs, and possibly getting fined in the process, then you are going to want to find a good grease trap cleaning service that is convenient, affordable and dependable. Most grease trap cleaning companies will offer regularly scheduled maintenance services so that you don’t have to think twice about how long it has been since your last cleaning (the City of Houston requires traps to be cleaned regularly, no more than 90 days between cleanings.) So, how do you reach a dependable grease trap cleaning service? Start by following these easy tips.

Referrals and Web Searches

The easiest way you can find a dependable grease trap cleaning service is to ask business owners around you that are in the same service as you, and within the same municipality. By asking for referrals from business owners you can ask directly if they are happy with the service they have received and how long they have been with that cleaning service company. You can follow that up by searching the web for any of the referrals you got, or to expand your list of choices further by searching for keywords that include your municipality, or city, to ensure you find companies that service your area.

Browse Websites

Once you have a list of prospective grease trap cleaning companies, it’s time to browse their website and social media. This allows you to get a quick overview of the services that they offer, but by also including social media you can get an idea of customer satisfaction by looking through reviews, and how they present themselves to the public.

Visit the Company Office

You can get a lot of information about a grease trap cleaning company by visiting their main office, and talking with a manager to get full details about everything they offer, as well as their response times, scheduling process, employee training, certifications, credentials, etc. They may have various awards of recognition on display, or may even have notice boards that include signs from their major clientele.

Have Them Visit Your Business

If you are satisfied with everything so far from the grease trap cleaning company you have selected, then it’s time for you to schedule them to visit your business so that they can inspect your system and give you a proper estimate based on your business type and customer volume. They’ll want to know how much, and of what types of foods you prepare so that they can properly estimate the amount of FOGs you’ll be generating and give you a price and cleaning frequency estimate. You can do visits with multiple companies before choosing one, that way you can compare rates and estimates before making a final choice.

Dependable Grease Trap Cleaning Service in Houston

If you are looking for a dependable grease trap cleaning service in the Houston area, then visit the website of Drane Ranger and call us today for a free estimate.

Five Reasons Why Septic Tank Cleaning Is So Important

It’s a homeowner’s worst nightmare: sewage problems. There isn’t much that can make your day seem any worse than coming home from work to the damages caused by a septic tank failure; but did you know that one of the main reasons septic tanks fail prematurely is maintenance? If you aren’t getting your tank pumped every 3 to 5 years on average, then you may be on your way to a big problem. Here are 5 reasons you should stop everything and start the search for “septic tank cleaning near me” right now.

1)  Backed-up sewage

The potential for your sewage to back up is one of the most nightmarish things that can go wrong if you don’t search out “septic tank cleaning near me” online or in your yellow pages. Getting your septic tank cleaned will help prevent the tank’s filters from clogging with solids, which could force excess waste back up the sewage pipes and into your home.

2)  Wet spots in your yard

One of the other problems that can occur if you don’t seek out “septic tank cleaning near me” is yard damage. Your septic tank is designed to allow filters to control what waste moves where. When it is functioning normally, liquids drain through the filters and solids form a “sludge” that, every 3 to 5 years, should be cleared by a professional septic tank cleaner. When these solids are not removed, they continue to build up and can overflow, causing your filters to fail and “sludge” to end up maneuvering its way to your lawn. As a result, you can end up with wet, smelly areas of lawn over or near your septic tank and bed.

3)  Health risk

Your purveyor of “septic tank cleaning near me” knows that your septic tank was designed following protocols established by your county’s health department. There are health risks involved in not properly maintaining your septic tank. Sewage backing up into your house or seeping out into your yard can expose you to harmful bacteria and can contaminate nearby bodies of water—including your or your neighbor’s well water.

4)  Damage to the septic tank

As discussed above, the septic tank is designed to prevent solid waste from entering the drainfield. This solid waste, contrary to what you might believe, does not break down—at least not quickly enough to keep up with regular production. It needs to be drained from the tank by a professional who is experienced in “septic tank cleaning near me.” If the solid waste, or sludge, is not removed regularly, it can build up, forcing solid waste into your drainfield. When this happens, the sludge clogs the pores in the gravel and soil of your filtration system. This will either cause sewage to back up into your house or seep out into your yard, but either way, it could damage the system, requiring costly repairs to your home, your yard, and the septic tank.

If it’s time to type “septic tank cleaning near me” into your web search, then be sure to visit our website today.

Four Key Benefits of Having Regular Septic Tank Pump out Service

A dysfunctional, or clogged septic tank, and the stress of it all can be one of the most disturbing things a business or homeowner can deal with. It can cause business disruption, loss of customers or clients and property damage. What can be even more frustrating is all these problems are preventable using a septic tank pump out service.

In this post we’re going to look at the four key benefits of using a septic tank pump out service. You’ll see how important investing in this service can be to save you money and help you avoid unfortunate plumbing issues.

Four Key Benefits to Hiring a Septic Tank Pump out Service

Your septic tank is an underwater sedimentation tank used for wastewater treatment via the process of biological decomposition and drainage; thus, disposing of the wastewater. This is why having it maintained is so important. Chances are you can’t afford to go without plumbing or pay for costly repairs to have a restoration company come to clean the mess.

1.  Reduced Risk of Your Septic System Failing

When you use a septic tank pump out service it lessens the chance of your system failing. This happens when the drainfield isn’t functioning correctly. When a tank overflows the sewage can go through the drainfield and clog your pipes. When this happens other areas of your dwelling will be affected making matters much worse.

2.  Stop Your Septic System From Overflowing

If your tank is full and in need of a septic tank pump out service, you’ll notice several signs; most of which are unpleasant:

• Pooling water

• Slow drainage

• Odors

• Overly lush or green grass. The grass over your septic bed should match the grass elsewhere on your lawn.

• Sewage backup

When you use a septic tank pump out service, they’ll check the septic tank levels, so you don’t have to worry about it.

3.  Detection of Septic Tank Floating Scum and Bottom Sludge Layers

When you use a septic tank pump out service they’ll measure the scum and sludge layers so they can test the condition of your septic system when they empty it. This is important because it will let them know if your tank’s pumped often enough or if the septic fields are damaged because of taking too long to empty the tank.

4.  Septic Tank Cleaning by a Professional

Cleaning a septic tank is not a simple task. Your tank needs extensive pumping, draining, and cleaning. It’s not at all like mowing your lawn – you need machinery and expertise to do it correctly. As well, it needs to be cleaned quickly, unlike other do it yourself projects. When you hire a septic tank pump out service, you’ll know that it’s done efficiently and professionally.

If you’re looking for commercial or residential septic tank services, we can help. At Drane Ranger we offer, regular septic tank pump out service so you don’t have to worry about when need to empty or de-sludge your septic tank. For more information, or to book a service you can visit our website.