Have you cleaned your grit traps lately? You might be invoking more trouble than you really should if you haven’t. How do you know when it’s time? Here are a few tips and warning signs you should take note of when it comes to grit trap cleaning in Houston.
What are grit traps?
First things first, though—what exactly are grit traps and why do they need to be cleaned? Grit traps are essentially catch basins, and you have a few similar items in your home. The one you are probably the most familiar with is your lint trap. This is the filter in your dryer that prevents the fluff, dander, and pet hair that comes off your clothing from clogging the dryer’s air duct. You know how important it is to clean this: not doing so can cause your dryer to start on fire—and that’s never a good time—but did you know that there is a similar lint trap in place to help protect your plumbing from the same types of lint that can end up trying to drain from your washing machine? This is especially important for professional laundry services; lint and grit trap cleaning keep debris from clogging pipes, thus preventing service disruption due to required repairs.
The concept of the lint trap is one that necessarily applies to a number of different services. Another familiar one should be the grease trap. You have a grease trap in your kitchen to prevent grease from washing down your drain, building up in your pipes, and causing odor problems, health concerns, and a risk of your pipes backing up. This is particularly important for restaurants and other professional industries. Without grease and grit trap cleaning in Houston, all of the problems the grease trap is designed to prevent can end up occurring as a result of its neglect.
Grit traps follow the same principle, but instead of preventing lint and grease from going down the drain, they filter dirt and sand. This is particularly important for businesses in the car wash industry. Grit trap cleaning in Houston can prevent pipe damage and clogs that would otherwise cause disruptions of service and expensive repair bills.
How do you know when you need grit trap cleaning in Houston?
As per Houston’s local city regulations, any lint, grease, or grit traps must be emptied, and safely and properly disposed of, four times a year. That’s approximately every three months, or when your trap becomes one-quarter full. If you fail to do this, not only are you making yourself, your home, and your business vulnerable to the consequences of overloaded and failing traps, but you are also exposing yourself to noncompliance fines. Of course, depending on the amount of use it gets, you may need lint, grease, and grit trap cleaning in Houston more often. There are some indicator signs you can look out for that will warn you before the situation gets out of hand, though. For instance, slow drainage, a bad odor, and the appearance of residue in other places can all indicate that your traps need to be cleaned.
Just remember, there are regulations in place in Houston, so if you can’t remember the last time you had lint, grease, or grit trap cleaning in Houston done, then it’s time to call a certified professional. They should be able to provide you with the appropriate documentation upon completion so you can prove your grit traps are appropriately maintained.