Grease Trap Perth also known as interceptors, are essential components for restaurants and other food service establishments. They intercept, or “trap,” fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from wastewater before it enters the sewer system to prevent clogs and backups.
Proper sizing and regular maintenance are critical to the function and longevity of your grease trap. Working with a professional will help you meet local regulations and ensure your grease trap is functioning properly.
The key function of a grease trap is to prevent fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from leaving kitchen facilities and entering the sewer system. These compounds can stick to the inside of sewer pipes, causing buildups and blockages. FOG can also cause serious damage to plumbing and cooking equipment. To protect your business from these issues, it’s important to install and regularly maintain a grease trap or interceptor.
There are several types of grease traps available, including passive hydromechanical and automatic systems. Each has its own benefits and applications. Passive gravity traps are popular in low-volume commercial kitchens. They work by slowing down wastewater flow, allowing grease to float to the surface and drain off. These traps are usually installed under three-compartment sinks or adjacent to the dishwasher in a restaurant or food service facility.
When selecting a grease trap, it is important to consider the size and flow rate of each sink in your kitchen. You can use a grease trap sizing calculator to determine the right capacity for your establishment. A trap that is too small will need to be cleaned more frequently, while a trap that is too large can be costly and inefficient.
It is also important to choose a grease trap with a manhole cover that is made of solid steel and not cement, as these covers are easier to clean. The cover should be placed about 18 inches from the base of the trap and have an opening that can be closed with a shut-off valve. This will ensure that only water can flow out of the trap, preventing grease and other debris from escaping.
To keep your grease traps in top working condition, avoid using chemicals or detergents that can emulsify the grease. These substances can kill the natural bacteria that is essential to a grease trap’s proper functioning. Regular professional maintenance of your traps is also recommended to help prevent clogs and other costly problems.
In addition to cleaning and maintaining your grease traps, it is important to educate your staff on proper waste disposal practices. Training staff on how to properly dispose of waste can help reduce the amount of FOG that enters the sewer system. It can also help minimize environmental contamination and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability and regulatory compliance.
Installation
In most municipalities, it is illegal to operate a food service business without a grease trap. Grease is a major cause of sewer overflows and backups that cost local governments thousands of dollars in maintenance each year. The grease trap intercepts fats, oils and grease (FOG) from your kitchen drain lines before they escape into the drainage system.
The standard grease trap is a two-chamber device that has a solids receptacle at the bottom and a liquid separating chamber above it. As waste water flows through the device, it causes the FOG to float to the top of the solids receptacle and separate from the wastewater. The wastewater then flows through the liquid separating chamber into the sanitary sewer line. The receptacles are designed to be large enough to collect the solids and liquids, but small enough that they can easily be emptied.
If your establishment has a large volume of grease production, you may need to install an active grease trap or an in-line interceptor that works on the same principles as the standard grease trap but in larger capacity. These devices are installed in-line with the drain line in the kitchen, and are typically connected to a pump that pumps the collected materials to a disposal area.
Before installing a grease trap, it is important to check with the local plumbing codes and health department regulations to ensure compliance. You will also need to shut off the water supply, and excavate if necessary to place the trap in the correct location.
Once the trap is in place, it must be tested to make sure that all wastewater passes through it and out of the sink drain. The testing procedure involves pouring a few gallons of water into the sink and observing whether or not the wastewater flows into the trap and out through the drain pipe.
Once the grease trap has been installed and tested, it is necessary to maintain and clean the device on a regular basis to keep it functional. This includes regularly removing the accumulated grease from the trap, cleaning the inlet and outlet pipes, and monitoring the performance of the device to identify potential issues before they become problems. It is also important to train staff on proper waste disposal techniques to minimize the amount of grease that is poured down the drains. Training staff can help to reduce the amount of grease and solids that enter the trap, which will ultimately increase the lifespan of the grease trap and minimize maintenance costs.
Maintenance
Grease traps must be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent solidified fats, oils, and grease from clogging your drains and sewer system. Without proper maintenance, grease will build up and cause plumbing problems that could require costly repairs. To avoid this, partner with Southwaste Disposal to handle your establishment’s grease trap cleaning and maintenance needs. We can schedule service at the recommended intervals to keep your drains functioning properly and your establishment up to code.
The best way to keep your grease trap clean and operating efficiently is by implementing a good kitchen hygiene program. This includes educating your staff on what can and cannot be put down the drain, providing grease disposal containers for unsafe items, and being cautious about what goes down the sink overall. This will help to minimize the amount of waste that enters your grease trap and keep it running smoothly for longer.
When it comes to cleaning your grease trap, it is important to have the right tools on hand. You will need a bucket for the waste and another for the water that you will use to clean the trap. It is also helpful to have a scraper and a shop vacuum.
Once you have the tools you need, remove the lid from the trap and scoop out the waste. Be careful not to damage the gaskets. When you are finished, place the waste in a garbage bag for safe disposal. You should also remove the dowel from the trap and use a tape measure to determine how many inches of waste is present. This information is important to record, and you should make sure it is included in your FOG (Fatty Oils and Grease) pump out report.
Be sure to keep a record of each grease trap cleaning and maintenance service you perform. This documentation is vital for ensuring compliance with local regulations and for monitoring any issues that may arise. It is also helpful to have a record of when the last grease trap maintenance was performed. Southwaste Disposal will maintain this record for you so that you can be confident your grease trap is meeting all local guidelines and is functioning as it should.
Regulations
Grease traps are regulated by local and state laws to protect the environment and sewer lines from blockages. Wastewater laden with fats, oils and grease (FOG) flows from kitchen sinks into piping, where it can coagulate and create line blockages. This can lead to sanitary sewer overflows and environmental harm. To avoid these consequences, state regulations require commercial foodservice businesses to install and regularly maintain grease traps.
Restaurant grease traps are a key component of any kitchen, protecting your business from fines and other penalties for non-compliance with local and state wastewater regulations. To keep your grease trap in compliance, it needs to be vacuum pumped on a regular basis by a professional service provider. These specialists will remove all of the collected grease and solids from your trap, transporting them for proper disposal while ensuring that your trap is properly cleaned and inspected.
In some areas, including Idaho, you’ll need to have your grease trap inspected and cleaned by a licensed wastewater system operator. The operator will review your grease trap to ensure that it is sized correctly and that your kitchen is using it properly. They’ll also verify that your trap is preventing FOG from entering the public wastewater system, as well as checking for any other violations of state wastewater regulations.
Generally, your restaurant grease trap will need to be inspected and cleaned every six months, with the exception of a waiver that can be granted by the Sewer Commission. If you want to apply for a waiver, the application must include an alternative method of pretreatment that will prevent the discharge of FOG into the public sewer system.
During inspections, your food establishment’s manager or other staff member must be on hand to allow the Sewer Department inspector to open and inspect your trap. The inspector will also need to see maintenance and cleaning logs, as well as proof of your grease removal and disposal services. If you’re not able to provide these documents, a variance from these requirements can be requested by submitting a request in writing and paying an application fee to the Village.