How Do You Know When Grease Trap Needs To Be Cleaned?

For businesses that generate used cooking oil, installing a FOG (fats, oils, and grease) interceptor is a legal requirement. But installation is just the first step, since you also need to maintain the FOG trap efficiently. This means ensuring on-time emptying, proper care, timely repair, and maintenance. Most importantly, good grease trap service will keep your business moving like clockwork, make you compliant and prevent problems with the authorities.

To stay on top of the health of your grease tank, you should know all the signs it shows when cleaning is due:

1. Bad odor seeping into the kitchen

The used cooking oil attracts microorganisms, which multiply and start breaking down the oils as they feed on it. During this breakdown process, sulfuric and hydrogen sulphide gases are produced.

These gases seep back into the kitchen through the floor drains as well as the sinks. Besides, even if they do not back-flow, the grease trap is usually located close to the kitchen and so any smells can come in from outside.

The bad smell is most likely to come from old grease that has built up over time. That is why you need a regular cleaning schedule.

Neglecting the cleanliness of this grease collector will not only develop a bad smell that sends your customers away, but it can also bring you compliance problems.

The rule of thumb is to empty the tank when the volume of the grease is about 25%. At that quantity, the grease trap is easier to empty.

2. Slow movement of water in the sinks: Time for grease trap maintenance

Slow drainage of water in the sinks is a sure indication of a grease trap that needs to be emptied and cleaned.

If the trap is not cleaned in a long time, FOG starts to buildup, and it might start clogging the drainage system. This happens fast when you pour used cooking oil in the sink.

This means there will be less water from the kitchen sinks passing through. If you continue neglecting it, it will come to a time when the kitchen sinks will completely fail to drain the water.

Of course, there could be other causes of the slow drainage of the kitchen sinks. So, if you check the FOG tank, and you find it is not due for emptying, you should check for other plumbing problems.

3. The last grease trap cleaning was long ago

Maybe things came up, and somehow the FOG tank cleaning was forgotten, or maybe you had decided to contract a new FOG trap maintenance company but could not hire one on time. In a busy restaurant setting, anything can happen and lead to the neglect of some of the vital facilities.

Even if there are no unexplained smells in the kitchen, or signs of clogging in the sink, you should get the FOG interceptor checked as soon as possible, if you remember it has been more than three months since it was last checked.

If the grease is left in the tank for too long, it will solidify, making it harder to remove, which will in turn cost you more money.

Stick to the recommended grease tank pumping schedule, which is once every month, two, or three months, but never longer than that. But since the cleaning interval can vary depending on the size of the trap and the restaurant, please follow the one-quarter rule (25%). This means you should clean the trap when the grease level is 25%.

4. It’s time for grease trap emptying when you see grease all over

Sometimes, when there is too much grease in the FOG tank, and it starts backing up, you will start to see signs of grease in strange places, such as the pipe joints, on the underside of the sink, and other places.

This happens because of clogging. When the diameter of the pipes reduces, the grease starts to get out through the weakest points – the joints! If there is even the smallest crack, you might start to see signs of grease leakage.

You might start seeing grease in strange places in the kitchen, irrespective of how thoroughly you clean the space.

5. Grease overflow

When fats, oils, grease and food materials find their way into the grease tank and solidify, they will block the flow of water to the sewerage system.

As a result, the water then finds the easiest outlet, and at times, it will escape through the manhole cover. By the time it gets to this, the problem has escalated too much, and you need to act on it immediately.

6. Your kitchen staff have been pouring food material down the sink

Because of the busy nature of the kitchen, occasionally, you will catch some of your kitchen employees pouring water with food material down the drain.

Some of the most common culprits include rice, which can break down to small particles and escape filtering easily.

It is better to err on the side of caution, so if you notice this happening, please check the grease tank, and have it cleaned soon.

7. When there has been more business than usual

More business means more money and more cleaning. If you have experienced a surge in the number of customers lately, this is a sign that your FOG interceptor needs to be cleaned more frequently. In some instances, you might even find yourself cleaning the FOG interceptor twice a month. Take it in stride.

FAQ

What is the purpose of hydro jetting?

Hydro-jetting unclogs your pipes to enhance water flow. The high water pressure is going to remove any food materials lodged inside the pipes so they can flow to the grease trap for collection.

How often should I clean my grease trap?

As often as you need to. The rule of thumb is once every 1 to 3 months, but the frequency depends on the size and how busy your business is.

What grease trap size do I need for my business?

If you have a big restaurant, you need a grease interceptor installed outdoors, outside the kitchen. However, the size varies from place to place, and in some cases, you might find an indoor grease trap appropriate for your needs. Consult with the city authorities to get proper directives.

What should I do with my used oil?

The used cooking oil should be reused if that is possible. If it is not possible, it should be preserved in an airtight bin to await collection to the recycling company. The used fryer oil can generate revenue since you will not give it away free of charge. Recyclers pay to collect it.

Conclusion

Neglecting the health of your grease trap is bad for business, because it can spread microbes to your food, and make your customers sick. It can also lead to closure for a few to several days, and loss of business.

However, all these things need not happen, when you work with a qualified and professional crew like us. Contact us today for a free estimate and for professional advice.

We will take all the dirty work off your hands, so that you can have enough time to dedicate to your business.

Not only do we empty the grease tank and carry the content, we also ensure that it is in superb health all the time, and our technicians shall do all the repairs.