Regulations in most states require restaurants, commercial kitchens, and other facilities that can introduce grease into the plumbing system to have a grease trap. A grease trap is a large box shaped device containing a series of baffles that that is installed in the wastewater line.
The grease trap traps and collects fats, oils and greases (called FOG) while allowing waste water to flow into the municipal sewer system. A grease trap can be a small 40 to 50 gallon device installed in the floor of the kitchen or a larger 500 to 1,000 gallon tank buried in the ground outside the facility.
If your facility is required by state law to have a grease trap, you are probably also required to have the grease trap cleaned and emptied regularly. Not only is it the law, but a dirty grease trap can be the source of offensive odors and can also be a fire hazard. If you have one the smaller types of grease traps in the floor of your facility, it is possible to clean it yourself (or have an employee do it), but grease trap cleaning is a nasty, dirty job. In addition, you still have the problem of disposing of the accumulation of grease.
Cleaning the large grease traps is a job for a professional and the reality is that smaller grease traps should be professionally cleaned as well. The pros use large pumping trucks and have the equipment and experience to quickly and efficiently clean large and small grease traps. In addition, they will haul away and dispose of the old grease. Most grease trap cleaning contractors will set up a regular cleaning schedule that will keep your grease traps clean, safe, and odor free while allowing you to focus on running your business.
