When Should You Call Grease Trap Cleaning Service?
Well, here it seems very simple when you should call grease trap cleaning service to clean grease trap, but in reality, managing a commercial kitchen gets so complicated that things like grease trap cleaning often slip out of mind. So in this post, we will look at both when it is ideal to call a grease trap cleaning service for cleaning and the signs that you need to call grease trap cleaning company.
When to clean grease traps
As a rule of thumb, grease traps should be cleaned when 25% of the liquid level in the grease trap is filled with fats, oils, and grease. Well, when it will happen depends on various factors, such as size of grease trap, the volume of wastewater generated, and efficiency of a grease trap. For some grease traps, this 25% mark will reach within 7 days. Some grease trap may need cleaning every month, while others need to be cleaned quarterly. So, it all depends on the size, load, type of waste, and efficiency of the grease trap. Usually, large grease traps need to be cleaned every one to three months. If 25% of your grease trap is getting filled with grease within a week, you should consider replacing your small grease trap with a large one.
Signs you need to clean grease traps
It is not always the case that you remember when to clean your grease trap, but there are some signs which will tell you that it is time to call a grease trap cleaning service. Have a look at some key signs when it is time to clean your restaurant’s grease trap.
- Slow draining kitchen sinks and backups
If you notice your kitchen sinks are taking a bit longer than usual to drain, it means there is clogging down there. Grease accumulated in the tank over the time slowly starts clogging the drains. If inlet drain is clogged, it results in a slow draining kitchen sink. If you do not pump out grease from the grease trap, after some time, it may lead to the sink backup which would be an undesirable situation for you. You cannot continue your kitchen operations if your kitchen sinks are not draining. And when there is a clog down there, it not only affects the kitchen sink but other plumbing fixtures as well. If your bathroom sink is not draining properly, your customer will not be going to stick around for a long. It will have a poor impact on your restaurant’s image, and your customer may not at all visit your restaurant again because of poor hygienic conditions. So as soon as you noticed that your kitchen and bathroom sink is not draining energetically as they used to, call professional grease trap service for cleaning.
- Foul odors
Well, it is the sure-shot sign, there is an urgent requirement of cleaning down there. If you do not pump out the grease on time, it will start producing gases which will find a way to escape through the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and air vents. Usually, grease traps are located at the outside of the kitchen. If you smell foul odor near the grease trap, do not wait for it to spread into the kitchen. Get your grease trap pumped out and cleaned.
- Overflowing grease traps
If you do not remove grease from grease traps, it will become thick and begin to escape via outlet tee and block the outlet drain. When your outlet drain is clogged, it may result in overflowing of grease trap. Well, it is the disastrous situation because it clearly depicts you hasn’t cleaned your grease trap for months. And if local sanitary officials find out about this, they will charge your heavy penalty. So if your grease trap is in such a situation, immediately call grease trap cleaning service to clean the grease trap.