Restaurant Grease Trap Maintenance: A Guide for Tampa Bay Businesses

For a restaurant, a grease trap problem isn't just a plumbing issue. A backup can shut down the kitchen in the middle of service, bring odors into the dining room, and cause trouble with your utility or health inspector. Keeping the grease trap working is one of the simplest ways to avoid all of that. Here's what Tampa Bay restaurant owners and managers should know.

What a Grease Trap Does

Fats, oils and grease, often called FOG, come off pans, dishes and prep work and go down the kitchen drains. If they reach the sewer, they cool, harden and build up in the pipes, causing clogs and sewer overflows. A grease trap, or a larger in-ground grease interceptor, catches FOG before it leaves your building.

Wastewater flows into the trap and slows down. Grease is lighter than water, so it floats to the top. Food solids sink to the bottom. Cleaner water flows out the middle to the sewer. Over time, the grease layer on top and the solids on the bottom build up until the trap needs to be emptied.

How Often Does It Need Service?

It depends on the size of the trap and how much grease your kitchen produces. A common rule of thumb is to service the trap before grease and solids fill about a quarter of its depth. Small under-sink traps in busy kitchens may need cleaning every few weeks. Large in-ground interceptors are often pumped every one to three months.

Local utilities in Tampa Bay have grease management requirements for food service businesses, including pumping schedules and record keeping. Check with your city or county utility for the rules that apply to your location, and keep your service records where you can find them.

Warning Signs

• Slow drains at the sinks or floor drains in the kitchen
• Grease or sewage odors in the kitchen or near the trap
• Water backing up into floor drains
• Grease visible in the outlet or in the sewer cleanout downstream
• It's been longer than usual since the last service

When a Grease Trap Needs Replacing

Grease traps don't last forever. Grease breaks down into acids that corrode concrete and metal over time, and baffles, lids and fittings wear out. A trap that's cracked, corroded or leaking, or one that's too small for how much your kitchen now produces, should be replaced. A new restaurant or a kitchen expansion may also need a larger trap to meet code.

Kitchen Habits That Help

• Scrape plates and pans into the trash before washing.
• Collect fryer oil and liquid grease in a rendering container instead of pouring it down any drain.
• Use strainers in sink and floor drains to catch food solids.
• Avoid very hot water and enzyme or chemical additives meant to "dissolve" grease. They often just move it further down the line, where it hardens.
• Train new staff on what goes in the trash versus the drain. Turnover is often when habits slip.

Beyond the Grease Trap

Restaurants are hard on plumbing in general. Floor drains, prep sinks, dishwashers, ice machines and restrooms all see heavy use. Regular drain cleaning on a schedule keeps lines clear before they become an emergency, and a camera inspection finds problems in the line between the kitchen and the street.

Commercial Plumbing for Restaurants

Believe Plumbing works with restaurants and commercial kitchens across Tampa Bay, from grease traps and kitchen drains to new sinks, restrooms and fixtures for a build-out. See our commercial plumbing services, examples of our commercial work, or contact us.