The Hidden Dangers of Restaurant Grease Traps

What is a Grease Trap?

A grease trap is designed on the fact that grease is less dense than water and the two won’t mix together. It works similarly to a septic tank. When wastewater enters a grease trap, it’s separated into three layers. Solids sink to the bottom of the grease trap while clear water exits through an outlet baffle. Many grease traps also include a removable solid strainer to limit the number of solids that sink to the bottom of the trap. Meanwhile, the grease enters through the baffle with the water but floats to the surface. As the grease starts to accumulate in the grease trap, there’s a possibility it escapes through the outlet and makes its way to bodies of water. To prevent this, just like septic tank pumping, the trap must be pumped regularly.

Dangers of a Clogged Grease Trap

• Smells – The buildup of grease and other foods can emit bad odors that can be unpleasant to customers. No one would want to smell the combination of sludge and leftovers while eating their food. The smell is a huge factor in the appeal of a restaurant, so if your business is having odor issues, check out the condition of the grease trap.
• Fire Hazard – A clogged grease trap makes it considerably more possible that a kitchen fire will happen. Grease is a profoundly combustible substance, and when a kitchen fire begins, a clogged grease trap can cause the fire to spread rapidly and be hard to control. Eliminate clogs from your grease traps if you want to avoid a safety hazard. Charlotte Septic Pros can help unclog by sending over a professional.
• Extra Spendings – A grease clog has the possibility of damaging the wastewater pumping if the clog is serious. Damaging pipes and other plumbing devices on your property lead to unexpected spending. Some restaurants have septic systems as well. If the septic tank gets affected because of the grease log, you’ll need to spend additional money for septic tank repair too.
• Health Hazard – What seems to be a simple nuisance can actually be deadly. The fumes emitted from dirty grease traps intoxicate the atmosphere in the restaurant. The workers that work all day and the customers that sit down to eat are all in danger when this happens. Wastewater can also overflow because of the grease blockage in pipes, causing the dishes to get washed in contaminated water. This is a continuous cycle of health risks if the problem isn’t solved.

Take Care of Your Plumbing Devices

The main task to strictly follow is to keep up regular maintenance at all times. Simply hire a professional to take care of septic tank pumping and grease trap pumping and have them inspect your grease trap. Charlotte Septic Pros also offers services for septic tank repair if anything goes wrong.