Every restaurant is required to install a grease trap. Its job is to filter grease out of wastewater and prevent it from entering public sewer systems, which can cause massive damage. Simply owning a grease trap, however, isn’t enough. If you run a restaurant, cafeteria, or another establishment that requires a grease trap, you are also responsible for keeping it clean and operational. Here, SeQuential touches on a few reasons why grease trap maintenance is so important.
Preventing Foul Smells
As fats, oils, and grease (FOG) accumulate in your grease trap, they begin to decompose. The result is a rancid odor that could be noticeable to your customers and employees – even from underground traps. What’s worse, foul smells may be a sign of a health hazard, as dirty grease traps are a breeding ground for bacteria and even mold. While an unpleasant smell is a sign that it’s time to clean your trap, you can prevent food contamination, health code violations, fines, and other consequences with regular grease trap maintenance.
Avoiding Expensive Cleaning and Repairs
As FOG accumulates in a grease trap, it also congeals into a thick, hardened mass. The more FOG in the trap, the firmer the mass gets until it becomes incredibly difficult to clean or remove. An overly full or malfunctioning trap can overflow and cause backwash. In an instant, your business’ floor could become flooded with foul wastewater that contaminates your products, discourages your employees, and turns away your customers. Cleaning up is time-consuming, costly, and may require even more expensive repairs to any broken pipes and to the grease trap itself.
Cutting Back on Pollution
Your business isn’t the only place affected when your grease trap causes backwash or other damage. The wastewater may spread into the surrounding areas as well, contaminating the ground with chemicals and rotten food particles. While it may seem like nothing more than dirty water, raw sewage is toxic and destructive to habitats and wildlife. By keeping your grease trap clean and well-maintained, you can reduce your business’ carbon footprint and protect the environment and local ecosystems from ill effects.
Abiding by Local Codes and Regulations
All the potential problems are significant reasons to keep your grease traps clean and well maintained – which is why local municipalities require regular maintenance. Almost every town, city, or county has laws in place surrounding the handling of grease in commercial kitchens. The penalties for failing to abide by them can include steep fines, the suspension of operation, or even the revocation of your license until the problem is resolved.
Trust Your Grease Trap Maintenance to the Professionals
Luckily, these unpleasant consequences of improper grease trap maintenance can be avoided simply by keeping your traps clean and in good shape. SeQuential is proud to serve restaurants up and down the West Coast. To learn more, contact us today.