As a restaurant owner, there’s no doubt that you have some sort of grease trap – a plumbing device that is designed to trap the majority of greases and solids before they continue to a wastewater disposal system! These grease traps are responsible for reducing the amount of greases, fats, and oils that enter the wastewater disposal system. Grease traps are usually installed within the sewer lines of a restaurant’s commercial kitchen. Usually, homes don’t require grease traps, since the amount of grease produced at one’s home is way lower than the amount that grease traps are built for. Since grease traps collect a large variety of unpalatable, and frankly unpleasant, substances, most owners of restaurants hire a grease trap cleaning service. One such company is Drane Ranger, a restaurant grease trap cleaning service that takes care of all the trapped debris within the grease trap for you!
The Inner-Workings of Grease Traps:
Grease traps are vital to the sewer process. Typically, regular wastewater contains tiny amounts of oil and grease which enter septic tanks and treatment facilities. The oil forms a layer on top of the water, which is broken down and digested by a variety of microorganisms. However, large amounts of fat, oil, and grease can interrupt this process and, consequently, lead to an eruption of untreated sewage into the environment! The way that grease traps work is by reducing the flow of hot or warm, greasy water, allowing it to cool down. As this water begins to cool, the grease and oil contained within the water separate and float to the top of the trap in a scum layer. Once this debris has floated to the top, the cool water continues down the pipe to the sewer, and the oil and grease are trapped by the grease trap. Over time, oil and grease residue can build up. This is why it’s vital to hire a restaurant grease trap cleaning service! After all, sanitation and safety are key components in most workplaces, but especially in restaurants.
The Reason Why Grease Traps Need Cleaning:
Grease traps, by nature, regularly require comprehensive maintenance and cleaning! Leaving them uncleaned and unmaintained can lead to a variety of issues; grease, for example, is a primary cause of sewer blockages. This can interrupt wastewater utility operations, even if it doesn’t result in overflowing sewers. It’s better to avoid this situation altogether, and to hire yourself a restaurant grease trap cleaning service! Drane Ranger, for example, has clear documentation and compliance validation, and they offer complete grease trap maintenance and cleaning in the Houston area! This comprehensive cleaning includes grease trap door control to ensure that your traps continue to be effective and that they will not interfere with the safe and sanitary running of your restaurant.
How Often Does Your Grease Trap Need to be Cleaned?
As a general rule, your grease trap should be cleaned out once every three months. If you’re unsure whether or not your grease trap requires cleaning after three months, follow the one-quarter rule. This rule should be followed because it follows the principle that, once your grease trap is a quarter of the way full, it is no longer effective. If you leave your grease trap alone and don’t clean it once it has reached this level, the debris will leak into the pipes, potentially resulting in increased blockages and overflows. Additionally, this also increases the possibility of food contamination! To avoid this situation, hire yourself a restaurant grease trap cleaning service to ensure that your restaurant continues to run smoothly.