Grease is a part of everyday life. It can be pretty tasty in a variety of foods that are deep-fried, cooked on the stove, or baked in the oven. Even salads as have their fair share of oil.
Some of it is not so good for the body because it can clog arteries, add to weight gain, and create other health problems. In your plumbing system, it can clog drains from your kitchen sink through the main drain that attaches to the municipal sewer system or septic system.
Fats, grease, and oils tend to solidify once they hit cold pipes and drains. Once it enters the plumbing system, it isn’t easily removed.
At home, you are the grease control for your body and your plumbing. In the food industry, commercial kitchens, restaurants, and more use a grease interceptor to stop the grease before it goes down the drain.
The interceptor traps grease and other solid materials and separates them from the wastewater, and prevents it from entering the drain system. Its job is to catch it before goes into the dishwasher.
High water temperatures that are common in commercial dishwashers will liquify fats, oils, and grease sending it along with the rest of the wastewater into the drains where it will solidify and eventually plug the drain.
A plugged drain effectively stops activities in a restaurant or commercial kitchen. The grease has to be removed and disposed of because it doesn’t break down in the drain or sewer system. If the solidified fat, oil, or grease (known as FOG) hits the sewer system it can become a real mess, solidifying into larger and larger masses, creating havoc in municipal sewer systems.
Dispose of grease properly and it will also help to protect the environment.
Businesses have the option of choosing between two different kinds of commercial grease interceptors: a smaller model that is mounted under the sink or a larger in-floor interceptor.
Both do the same job but which model is used depends upon what fixture it’s being attached to.
Both require venting into the plumbing vent system before and after the grease trap. Both also have to be maintained. How often it needs to be cleaned, depends on the usage.
There are two ways a grease interceptor can be cleaned. The grease trap can be physically opened and cleaned by hand manually. There are also professional cleaning services that can be hired to clean out the trap with suction. It has to be serviced regularly depending on how often it is used.
Grease interceptors can also be cleaned with a chemical feeder. Some townships and cities do not allow this type of cleaning.
After the grease trap has been serviced, make sure the seal on the lid is secure. If it is not replaced properly, it will smell.
While grease cleaning companies dispose of contents according to municipal regulations, individual households can dispose of small amounts of cooking oils and grease into the organics green bin collection.
Wipe up liquid oils with paper towels and toss them into the green bin. This will also help to minimize extra food bits from going into the dishwasher too.
