Grease Trap Perth is a receptacle that kitchen wastewater flows through before entering the sewer waste system. It captures fats, oils and grease (FOG), preventing them from causing blockages and costly plumbing problems.
Grease traps can be passive hydromechanical, automatic or gravity-based systems. Any restaurant that produces a significant amount of FOG should have one installed.
Installation
A grease trap is a plumbing device that helps prevent clogs and blockages in your kitchen drains by catching fats, oils, and grease (FOG) before it can reach the sanitary sewer. FOG is one of the leading causes of thousands of sanitary sewer overflows each year. Fortunately, with proper maintenance and cleaning, you can avoid these costly and messy overflows.
Before installing your grease trap, it is important to consult your local regulations and get a permit, if necessary. Once you have the permit, you can start assembling your device. If you are not familiar with plumbing DIY projects, it is best to hire a professional plumber to do the installation for you.
The first step is to determine how large of a trap you need for your establishment. This will help you select the right model and size of grease interceptor. You should also consider the location of the drain line and the inlet and outlet pipes, if any. In general, you should use plumbing connectors to connect the inlet and outlet pipes. Make sure you tighten the connections securely and use plumber’s tape on all threaded connections.
Once you have the grease trap installed, it is important to properly connect it to the drain lines. It is important that the inlet pipe is on the same level as the sink drain and that the outlet pipe opens up to the sanitary sewer system. You should test the unit by pouring water into the inlet and out of the outlet.
You should also ensure that the baffle walls of your trap are not clogged and that the grating is not obstructing the flow of wastewater. Ideally, the inlet and outlet piping should be sized to handle the maximum volume of wastewater produced in a single hour.
Another important consideration is the frequency of trap cleaning. Your trap should be cleaned at least once a month to prevent clogs and overflows. You should also keep records of trap inspections and cleanings and have them available for inspection by your local authorities. If you are not cleaning your grease trap frequently enough, you may be subject to fines from your local authority.
Maintenance
A properly maintained grease trap can keep foul odors from infiltrating the restaurant. It can also prevent grease and fats from entering the municipal sewer system, where they can contribute to blockages and clogs. This can result in wastewater overflows and raw sewage flowing into the environment. To avoid these problems, it is important to clean the trap on a regular basis. A reputable grease trap service company will provide you with a scheduled maintenance program that meets local regulations.
When cleaning your trap, first make sure it is empty of all solids. It is important to remove the sludge layer, which contains cooking grease and oils that harden over time and sink to the bottom of the trap. Also, do not use chemicals or enzymes to clean the trap, as they can kill the beneficial bacteria inside the trap and liquefy the FOG, allowing it to flow down the drain and into the municipal sewer system.
In addition to cleaning the trap regularly, it is important to educate your staff about proper food waste disposal. Educating employees on the importance of using drain covers and scraping food off plates into trash can help reduce the amount of FOG that enters the drainage system. It is also important to use cold water when washing greasy dishes and utensils. This will help the sludge layer cool down faster, which will allow it to sink to the bottom of the trap more quickly and prevent odors.
Keeping the grease trap in good working condition is essential to preventing problems with your plumbing system. Failure to clean the trap can lead to backups, sinks that won’t drain, and standing water in your kitchen. In extreme cases, grease buildups can create “fatbergs” that can span entire city blocks. A grease trap can help prevent these issues, but only if it is cleaned on a regular basis. Getting a professional to do the job can save you time and money. They know the local regulations and will take care of all the paperwork for you. They can also help you choose the best grease trap for your business.
Disposal
Grease traps must be emptied regularly, otherwise they can become clogged and create plumbing problems in the kitchen. A clogged grease trap can also result in FOG (fats, oils and grease) escaping into the sewer system. This can lead to blockages and sanitary sewer overflows, which require expensive and specialized equipment to clean up. FOG also pollutes the environment, as it can enter wastewater treatment systems and cause sewage to flow directly into the groundwater.
A grease interceptor can help reduce the amount of grease that is sent to the sewer system by separating it from the wastewater stream. It consists of an inlet pipe, baffle walls and an outlet fitting and cap. The inlet pipe slows down the wastewater’s flow, allowing fats and oils to rise to the top layer and water to fall into the bottom layer. The baffle walls prevent the incoming wastewater from reaching the outlet fitting and cap, which would allow FOG to pass into the sewer system.
The resulting waste is called “brown grease.” It is collected from passive grease traps and gravity interceptors by a specialized truck and taken to a licensed facility for processing into animal feed or food-safe lubricants. Alternatively, it can be used to produce renewable biofuel.
Educate employees on the importance of handling waste properly. For example, they should never pour grease down sink drains or garbage disposals. They should also use sink drain covers and scrape food off plates into trash before rinsing them. If you notice the smell of a rotting grease trap, it is time to empty it. A reputable company that services grease traps can work with you to develop a service schedule that is compliant with local regulations. In addition to emptying grease traps, a company can also inspect them and replace the gasket that seals the lid. This will ensure that the trap works properly and protects your business from a costly plumbing problem. In addition, it will reduce the risk of environmental contamination. The company will also provide a certificate of disposal for the grease removed from the trap.
Cost
Grease traps or interceptors are an essential part of any restaurant, commercial kitchen, and even many hotels and other public facilities. Keeping them properly serviced can prevent expensive repairs, reduce health and sanitation risks, and keep customers happy. Keeping your grease trap in good condition can also ensure that it is functioning at full capacity and isn’t overflowing or draining into other areas of the building.
Whether your establishment has an old passive hydromechanical grease trap, a newer high-efficiency HGI model or something in between, all require periodic maintenance and cleaning. The frequency can vary depending on the volume of food served, the restaurant or business’s operating hours, and city-mandated ordinances. During busy seasons, your grease trap may need to be pumped more frequently, and any clogs in the inlet or outlet should be cleaned immediately.
If you don’t clean your grease trap regularly, the contents will flow into the sewage system and contaminate waterways, which can result in costly sewer backups for your establishment and public health risks for the community. The risk of overflow is even greater if you have a small, low-efficiency grease trap. If you choose to invest in a higher-efficiency grease trap, it will have an increased grease storage capacity, which will help reduce the frequency with which you need to have it pumped.
Regardless of the type of grease trap you have, it is vital to choose a service provider that can provide the most comprehensive maintenance and cleaning. There are several different methods of pumping a grease trap, including the full-pump method (removing all the fats, oils and grease (FOG) from your trap) and the “pump and return” method (where your service provider pumps away FOG but returns the gray wastewater to your trap). Some cities mandate one method of servicing over another, and you should find out what those requirements are before choosing a provider.
Although the upfront cost of a grease interceptor is higher, it’s a much more effective and affordable option in the long run. In addition, high-efficiency models can reduce the frequency with which they need to be pumped, which further reduces the overall costs of maintenance and operation.