When it comes to maintaining grease traps, any expert will tell you that maintenance is the primary thing. Otherwise, you will encounter major problems that can put you in a dangerous situation. For example, one of the worst consequences is a fire. After installing this device, do not forget to make a cleaning and maintenance plan. This means that you should adopt important information such as the method of cleaning, the time interval between cleaning, etc. Whether it is commercial or residential grease trap, rules for maintenance is quite similar.
Why is it important to clean the grease trap regularly?
One of the biggest problems in the kitchen is the excessive retention of fat deposits. Although many ignore this fact, you must not do it. Otherwise you will trap dirt in your kitchen which can result in waste water coming out of the kitchen drain etc. Therefore, a grease trap is used. It will capture and filter all the waste that ends up in your pipes. However, it is not enough to get this device and install it. The most important thing is its maintenance in order to be able to perform its primary function. Just like you and other appliances in your kitchen, this one requires regular cleaning and proper maintenance.
There are several reasons why you should have this appliance in your kitchen. First of all, you will eliminate the nasty smell that can spread to the whole house. If you regularly clean the grease trap, food and fat residues will not be retained, which means that you will not smell rot. You will also not have to pay for an expensive tank replacement. For example, if all the food waste ends up in your tank, sulfuric acid is created over time, which can damage the steel and walls.
How often should I clean the grease trap?
This is one of the most common questions asked about maintaining a grease trap. It is important that people are informed about this as soon as possible so that they do not have major problems with cleaning and pumping. If you don’t want it to be too late, make a pumping and cleaning schedule to follow. Also follow that quarter rule. This means that you should pay attention to the grease trap and after filling a quarter of the space, it is time to clean it. Otherwise the trap will overflow and will no longer be effective. Instead of catching oil and other remnants of dirt, everything will go into the pipe and then the chances of overflow and blockage increase dramatically. Most models need to be cleaned every 1-3 months.
Once you get into this situation, there is a high risk of fire and contamination. So make a maintenance cycle that will depend solely on the size of your trap, but also the amount of fat that accumulates after cooking. In addition, consider how often you cook and what foods you prepare. No matter how often you cook, your grease trap should not be filled in less than a month. In that case, you need a new model or a larger grease trap. Once you’ve made a cleaning schedule, research companies that can help you with that. Hire a professional cleaner and remove the gross cleaning task from your to-do list.
When is the time to re-clean the grease trap?
Of course, not as often as commercial grease traps. The standard practice is to clean and empty the device at least once every 90 days. Of course, it all depends on its capacity and the amount of cooking. If you often cook and use a lot of oil, it is best to clean the equipment once or twice a month. Don’t forget to clean the work surface after each use. In that case, it is best to adhere to a well-established weekly maintenance schedule. This way you will know exactly how full the device is and when one quarter of the space is occupied. If you are still not exactly sure how often to perform maintenance, you can message professionals at greasetrapdenver.com and get an answer for free.
Do’s of Grease Trap Maintenance
Proper maintenance of the grease trap is essential if you want to avoid unnecessary consequences. However, in order to do it correctly, it is very important to know what you should and should not do. We will first talk about what is desirable to do, and that is certainly hiring professional help. If you get qualified experts, you will not have to worry about whether you cleaned everything well and whether you did it correctly. You simply cannot do this on your own if a large amount of fat has accumulated and there is a blockage.
Professionals have the necessary tools and experience, which means that they will do it much better and faster than you. Don’t forget to make sure the siphon is installed correctly. Although this is obvious to everyone, it happens that the siphon is not installed correctly. This leads to even bigger problems, because the trap cannot function well. Make sure you get a sufficiently efficient model that will suit your needs.
Don’ts of Grease Trap Maintenance
There are a few things you should never do. For example, don’t forget to clean your trap regularly. If you do this yourself, do not use enzymes or solvents to remove grease. These products will not break down grease but will only separate it from the water which means all the grease will go into the wastewater system. Therefore, it is recommended to hire experts, because they use proven methods and products. Many products contain questionable ingredients.
Conclusion:
If you leave grease and other impurities standing for too long, you will feel a strong unpleasant odor and then there will probably be a blockage in the pipes or slow drainage of the sink. Therefore, pay attention to several factors such as the frequency of cooking, the method of food preparation, the size of the device and more. Don’t forget to regularly clean the grease trap so that it is always effective.
