Commercial grease traps are central to a clean and orderly restaurant. When you experience issues with this important piece of equipment, you could face a shutdown of your establishment if your plumbing equipment fails. Along with scheduling grease trap cleaning on a regular basis, new restaurant owners should also keep the following in mind. 

How Do Commercial Grease Traps Function?

As you prepare meals in your restaurant, your kitchen will produce a large volume of fats, oils, and greases. These substances can’t be flushed down the drain or they’ll cause significant clogs in your plumbing or septic systems. Instead, grease traps are installed to catch solidified cooking waste. Grease traps are designed to separate wastewater from solid waste, which rises to the top of the holding tank. 

What Happens When They’re Not Properly Maintained?

As you can imagine, solid cooking waste can become quite substantial when left to linger inside your grease trap. This causes numerous problems, as sludge has nowhere else to go and begins to rise out of the drains. Substances left inside grease traps can also wear down components over time, which will require a replacement of parts or even your entire plumbing system. 

What Are Some Grease Trap Maintenance Tips?

The best way to maintain your restaurant equipment is to schedule grease trap cleaning often. While the exact schedule depends on the size of your restaurant, it’s recommended to pump grease traps when they reach ¼ of their capacity. Professional grease trap cleaning removes solid waste and frees up space. You should also advise your staff to discard solid food waste into the trash before dirty dishes are transferred to the sink or washing machine. 

If you own a restaurant in Watertown, CT, and have questions about your grease trap cleaning schedule, American Rooter is here to lend a hand. They can help you develop a maintenance schedule to keep your kitchen equipment functioning as expected. Along with preventative maintenance, this company also offers plumbing and septic tank repairs, including 24/7 assistance for seriously clogged drains and other issues. Take advantage of more than 38 years of plumbing experience by calling (860) 274-7338 today. You can also visit the website to learn more about their maintenance programs.