Why Do I Need A Grease Trap?

Most commercial kitchens are required by local codes to have a grease trap in place. It’s a drain and sewer installation that requires pumping from time to time (depending on the size of the grease trap and the amount of use it gets). But you may be unsure of what, exactly, a grease trap does.

The Problem with Fats, Oils, and Grease

Fat, oil, and grease can clog up the pipes rather quickly. These substances are deceptively troublesome.

• They start out as liquids and solidify as they move down the cool pipes.
• They start out as liquids and solidify as they move down the cool pipes.
• And as additional debris collects onto the residue, the pipes can stop up.

Commercial Grease Trap Requirements

In a commercial kitchen, there is a particularly high volume of fats, oils, and grease moving down the drain at any given time. You can and should do what you can to prevent this, but the oily residue is bound to collect in the pipes without a grease trap in place.

A grease trap, or grease interceptor, is required in commercial kitchens because it protects the property and, more importantly, the public. A sewage leak is a major public health hazard, and it becomes more likely when grease and oil from local restaurants clog up the sewer pipes. If you are found responsible for a sewer leak due to improper installation or maintenance, you could face a fine.

How a Grease Trap Works

Thanks to the natural properties of solids, water, and grease, the design of a grease trap are not very complicated.

• It is a large tank with a pipe in the middle, through which wastewater evacuates the tank. Many food particles sink to the bottom of the tank.

Grease, fats, and oil rise to the top due to their density, just like what would happen if you poured cooking oil into a bowl of water. As long as you have the grease trap pumped regularly, you should not run into issues with this system.

Call Ace Pelizon Plumbing today for plumbing service and grease trap installation in Sierra Madre, CA. World class service is just around the corner!