Grease trap is a unit of the main plumbing system of a building. It is fitted right beneath the sink or the wash basin and is used in the similar fashion as its name suggests. The entire unit works as a trap for the grease, oil and other oil-based waste present in your waste water and collects the same before it is discharged to the drain.
Usually, these grease traps are associated with large kitchens such as that of the local eateries and restaurants, but these are very useful in a residential complex as well.
Grease traps are eco and environment friendly, and every household should invest in the same. Getting one of these systems installed in your kitchens is not a big fuss, thanks to many contractors and service providers available on the internet. Users can book an appointment with the same online, and the professionals can install these traps within a few hours. For more information, users can visit greasetrapseattle.com.
As much as it is important to get these devices installed at your homes, the care and maintenance of the same is equally important, if not more. If not handled properly, these units can get damaged sooner than expected. To avoid such a situation, a list has been provided for you, containing 5 do’s and don’ts of residential grease trap maintenance and care.
Do’s of residential grease trap maintenance
1. Make sure the traps are installed properly
This will help you save a lot of time and money. Getting the traps is only half work done. Getting them properly installed is a crucial step and an important one to begin with. An improperly fit trap can leak at any point, thereby causing additional nuisance to you and your kitchen.
Moreover, an internal leak can cause all the fats and oils to escape into the main septic drain, and it can cause serious effects, firstly to your drain, and then the environment.
2. Hire professionals to do the cleaning
No matter how much you have been invested in the cleaning and maintenance process of your grease trap, it is always a better idea and a reasonable option to let the professionals do their work.
These are the trained people and know their jobs better than any DIY video available on the internet. DIY is a good thing, however, it cannot and should not be applied to everything and the things that are important should be left to the experts.
3. Make sure all the sinks drain into the grease trap
It does not matter how many kitchens your house boasts, or how many sinks are available in your dream home, what is important is that all these water outlets are connected to the grease trap.
The trap not only collects the various oils and grease produced in the kitchen, but it also filters and collects the other residue from all over the house. These residues would have otherwise clogged the main drainage system, if left unchecked. To avoid the clogging of the main system, it is advised to get all the plumbing connected to the trap system.
4. Get under-the-sink screens installed
These specialized units will help you easily segregate and collect any solid food particle and prevent its entry into the grease trap. Grease traps are designed for the collection of FOGs – fats, oils, and grease. Any other substance has a high possibility of choking and clogging the same.
To reduce such harmful effects on your traps, think of getting these sink mesh installed. These are easily available in the market and can be bought off from any hardware shop. Moreover, these are pretty cheap and can be installed as a DIY.
5. Do frequent checks
One of the key reasons for the long life and hassle-free movement of any appliance and device in the household is its frequent checking.
Frequent inspections of these trap systems will notify you of any issue and any problem could be easily detected at its early stages. These checks also ensure the smooth functioning of these trap units and thereby, proper movements of waste water around the house.
Don’ts of residential grease trap maintenance
1. Don’t put solids into the sink
Solids can easily deteriorate your trap systems once they travel down the sink. Make sure to completely wipe off any leftover food from the dishes and utensils before putting them into the sink for a wash cycle. These food particles will lead to the clogging and blockage of the trap systems, along with the main drain, and thereby, cause an overflow of sewage water.
2. Don’t pour hot water down the sink
Hot water, more like, boiling hot water will do no good to you. Many people face a partial clogging of the upper portions of the drainage system, and this is usually in the pipe connecting the sink to the trap systems. In order to clear this off, they turn to hot water, hoping it would help.
However, they fail to understand that the heated water would only liquify the grease and fats collected and stored in the traps. This liquified material can escape easily to the main drains, thus creating further problems to the owners, as well as the environment.
3. Don’t use cleaners down the drain
Any chemical or enzyme based substance in hopes of cleaning the drain or sink should be avoided at all costs. This will only worsen the situation, as these chemicals will eventually break down the grease and turn it into liquid, thus making it highly escapable.
4. Don’t try any unauthorized DIYs
Any and all DIYs should be avoided. These DIYs might go haywire at any point, causing a lot of trouble, and, thus, making it difficult for you to control the newly created disaster. Trust the professionals with any repairs and all the cleanings of the grease traps in your household.
5. Don’t forget to tell your family
Let your family know about the grease trap and how it works. Also, instruct them not to put dishes straightaway into the sink, without clearing all the solid remains. This will ensure a long and properly functioning grease trap for your residence.
Conclusion:
Grease traps are easy to install, clean and maintain. Additionally, these are of great help to the environment, as they prevent the direct entry of fats and grease into the main drainage system. Almost every outlet in the food business has one installed, and every household should get one as well.
