The Importance Of Having And Cleaning A Grease Trap

The most challenging problem in the commercial kitchen is to maintain the FOG in the kitchen. To fix this, many restaurant owners all over the world have grease trap/grease interceptor installed for their kitchen. Thanks to the technology used in these grease removal units. It traps the FOG from the wastewater coming out of kitchen drains, dishwashers, and sinks, allowing it to join the sewer waters without any hindrance. But just as many other appliances used in a kitchen, grease trap also requires a regular maintenance to keep doing its job constantly and efficiently. So, here are some reasonable answers to why a commercial restaurant should maintain, and install a grease trap in the first place.

Reasons Reflecting The Importance Of Grease Traps

1. Foul Smell

A grease trap keeps accumulating FOG in its tank which over the time begins to decompose and diffuse a rotting smell. If this is left untreated, the smell could become bothersome, even if the interceptor is underground. This could have an adverse effect on the number of customers visiting the restaurant, eventually disrupting the business reputation.

2. Expensive Tank Replacement

Solid food waste and FOG trapped in the grease trap comprise chemical compounds. If the tank is left uncleaned, the trapped waste breaks down releasing hydrogen sulfur gas that turns into sulphuric acid. The extremely toxic sulphuric acid can damage the steel and the walls of the interceptor forcing you for an expensive replacement.

3. Awful Cleaning

When a grease trap captures the FOG, the solid food particles settle at the bottom of the tank. If this solid waste is not removed regularly, it converts into a thick hard mass that becomes immovable barrier apparently impossible to clean.

4. Blockage In Drainage System

A grease interceptor keeps working by constantly capturing the grease above and solid food waste below in the tank. If the tank is not cleaned on regular basis, the waste will pile up in the tank causing the additional food waste and FOG coming out of kitchen sink or dishwasher to flow down the sewer system. Eventually, this will cause severe blockages in the pipeline, inhibiting the flow of wastewater. The ultimate result would be backups and overflow that will cause expensive damage.

5. Penalties

Almost every municipality around the world has certain penalties attributed to the inappropriate treatment of FOG in commercial kitchens. Some have penalties for not having a grease trap installed and some for not maintaining the equipment properly. Because in both cases, the municipality will spot the high concentration of FOG in the sewers. Hence, it can cause you to pay heavy fines, suspension of operation or even revocation of the operating license until you resolve the key problem.

6. Business Loss

You would have understood from the factors discussed above, that if you miss on installing or maintaining a grease trap in your restaurant, it will result in heavy loss of your business. Eventually, it might get difficult for you to gain customer confidence and beat your rivals, especially if your restaurant is situated in a competitive environment.

How Would You Know It Is Time To Clean The Grease Trap?

Now, you know how important is to maintain a grease trap and have it installed in the first place. But do you know how often you need to clean the equipment? Let us find it out!

As a standard practice, grease interceptors should be cleaned or emptied at least once every 90 days. That said, it also depends on the capacity of your grease trap and that how many dishes are cooked in your kitchen per day (amount of FOG produced). In both cases, if the capacity of the grease trap is small or if the number of dishes cooked is more, it is wise to clean the equipment once or twice a month.

It is best to keep a weekly maintenance schedule to check the amount of FOG trapped in the tank. You can measure and keep a record of the grease depth using a rod and clean when the right time comes. In general, a grease trap should be emptied when one-fourth of the tank space has been occupied by grease. After reaching this limit, the grease trap potentially becomes ineffective in operating.

In addition, if you feel that the grease interceptor has to be cleaned multiple times in a month, replace it with a bigger capacity unit that can handle the operations effectively for at least a month until it is emptied.

Role Of Grease Guardian In Maintaining Grease Traps

In case you miss on keeping a check on your grease removal unit, there are fair chances that the tank starts overflowing and begins showing signs of clogging. That is when you will need to call a team of professionals who can address the problem and remove any clogging effectively ensuring your restaurant business keeps running successfully without any flaws.
Grease Guardian is one such leading name in the world of grease traps and grease removal units that offers an all-round service for all kinds of problems related to FOG. The company provides service starting from supplying a wide-range of grease interceptors to installing and maintaining them effectively at a smooth pace. Plus, it also provides appropriate advice and expert recommendations to evade your FOG-related challenges while being compliant with the law.
Here are two exclusive products manufactured by Grease Guardian:

1) D3R M

This is an automatic grease removal unit ideal for marine applications that require centralised installation. It is a stainless steel product equipped with programmable skimming cycles that help in trapping the FOG and food waste effectively. Get more information from here.

2) GGX 50 M

This is another centralised model from Grease Guardian that operates automatically. It is fit for under sinks in marine applications, backed by a robust stainless steel design. Get to know more about it in detail. You can also view similar products here.

Grease Guardian products and recommendations have always resulted in a sure-fire deal for world-class restaurants and food establishments around the world. If you are yet to install a grease trap or are somehow in a misfit-like situation, contact us now. We are here to help you out generously, right away!