Grease Trap Perth (grease interceptors) separate FOG from wastewater, allowing cleaner water to flow through drainage pipes. They help reduce the number of sanitary sewer overflows that can affect the environment, customers, and businesses.
Traditional gravity grease interceptors are large concrete vessels buried outside. They must be pumped out regularly.
Essentially, your standard grease trap has two chambers. The first is the catching chamber, where your kitchen wastewater flows through and into. In this area, the fats, oils and grease are caught as they congeal. As your kitchen wastewater continues flowing through, it passes into the second chamber, where the solidified grease and oil are separated from the clean water. From there, your clean water is allowed to flow into the sanitary sewer system.
The benefit of this is that fats, oils and grease are not allowed to enter sewage systems and cause blockages and backups. This can damage your pipes and cause issues with your local city sewage systems, not to mention it’s a public health risk. A grease trap prevents these issues by intercepting FOG before it can get into your sewer system.
While traditional passive grease traps are common, there are different designs to choose from depending on your specific needs. Some grease traps can be installed under sinks, while others are larger and are often located outside. Regardless of the design, they’re still better for your business than letting food solids and grease flow into your sewer lines.
One of the most important things to remember about installing a grease trap is that you’ll need a permit from your local plumbing department. You can work with a licensed plumber to obtain this and ensure that your installation meets all plumbing codes and regulations in your jurisdiction.
Before you can install your grease trap, it’s essential to find a spot where it can be placed unobtrusively and easily accessible for maintenance. The site you choose should be free of debris, level, and have a drain nearby. You’ll also need to make connections to the inlet and outlet pipes. Once your grease trap is in place, you’ll need to test it to ensure that all of the components are functioning properly. You can perform this simple test by pouring boiling water into the drain to see if it flows into the trap. If not, it’s time to call a commercial plumber.
Maintenance
Grease traps are a necessity in restaurants, but they’re not easy to maintain. The task is both dirty and time consuming, and failure to clean your grease trap at the proper interval can result in drain problems that cost you money. Grease trap maintenance includes cleaning and pumping, which should be done every 1-3 months depending on the volume of grease your kitchen produces. This involves removing the lid, scooping out the accumulated grease and solids, and disposing of them properly. Pumping out your grease trap is a messy and smelly job that you can’t do while your restaurant is open, so it has to be performed at night or after hours.
The plumbing industry standard is known as the “one-fourths rule,” which states that your trap should be cleaned before it gets to be about a quarter full of FOG materials. Failure to do this can lead to overflows, leaks, and clogged pipes. It’s a good idea to schedule cleaning and restaurant grease disposal with a professional service provider that offers regular scheduled maintenance, keeps records for you, and follows city ordinances.
During the cleaning process, baffle walls and sumps should be scraped thoroughly to remove adhered grease, which will prevent future buildup and blockages. Then, the trap should be pumped out to remove all of the solids and liquids. Then, the tank should be rinsed with soapy water to flush it out and make sure all parts are working properly.
You should avoid using solvents and enzymes to degrease your trap, as these can kill the natural bacteria that breaks down and separates FOG from the wastewater. Also, these chemicals are not ecofriendly and will cause the sludge to harden, making it more difficult for water to pass through, causing your trap to overflow.
Chemical Treatment
Grease traps and interceptors work together to limit the amount of fats, oils and greases (FOG) that enter city sewer systems, where they can cause blockages. These blockages impact the wastewater system and can also lead to unsanitary conditions in the restaurant and public areas.
To prevent blockages, many cities require restaurants to have their grease traps regularly pumped and cleaned. This includes the use of chemical treatments. Chemical treatment is a process whereby a bacteria-based product is dispensed into the grease trap on a regular basis, which encourages the growth of a healthy colony of bacteria that digests FOGs in the trap. This can reduce the number of times per year a trap needs to be pumped out, which saves both time and money for the foodservice establishment.
The best chemical treatments for grease traps contain live bacterial organic digesters. This type of product liquefies and loosens complex fats, oils and greases, cellulose, proteins and starches. It removes foul odors and inhibits microbial growth. It also resists chlorine, disinfectants, and high water temperatures. It can be injected directly into the trap or poured through the drain line.
Most companies that provide chemical grease trap maintenance offer this service on either an ad hoc transactional basis or on a contractual basis, where they supply and dispense the chemicals and equipment on a regular schedule. It’s important to find a company that will maintain the equipment and change out the bucket of chemicals. Some will even clean and repair the dispense equipment on site as part of their service.
Depending on where you are located, DAR PRO offers both pump and return services or dry pump. Pump and return is more environmentally friendly, as the separated gray water is returned to the trap. When this method is not available, the trap is pumped completely dry and hauled away in a separate tank from the FOG material. This is a more expensive option, but the FOG material can be recycled to be processed into animal feed and/or renewable energy at facilities that meet state and federal environmental regulations.
Clogged Traps
When fats, oils and grease build up in your drainage pipes or in your trap, it can restrict the flow of water into and out of your kitchen. This slows down your drainage system and can cause clogs elsewhere in your plumbing, including your sinks. If you notice that your drainage isn’t working as it should, call your service provider immediately to see if your trap has become full of grease.
A clogged trap usually starts in the inlet or outlet pipe or the wall fitting and then spreads. The problem is often difficult to spot because it may not be visible until the manhole cover is lifted and greasy wastewater is spewing out into your parking lot. The best way to prevent this type of major issue is to watch for small signs that your trap is getting full.
Keeping up with regular cleaning and pumping of your trap can help prevent a clog. If you notice that the drains in your restaurant are draining slowly or the grease in your trap is full, you should call your provider to schedule a pumping. The company you choose should be licensed and insured to perform maintenance on your grease trap. They should also be able to explain your city’s regulations on how to properly care for and maintain the grease trap.
In addition to performing regular cleaning and pumping, a reputable grease trap service provider should also inspect your entire system regularly. They should check the trap, hatches, and vents for holes or cracks that can allow rodents to enter. They should also ensure that the grease trap is free of odors, which can indicate that it is not properly maintained.
A good provider will offer different pumping options to fit your needs. For example, some may offer a “pump and return” service where the FOG is removed but the separated gray water is returned to your trap. Another option is to have the trap’s contents disposed of via anaerobic digesters for renewable energy production. In either case, the trap must be pumped and emptied on a scheduled basis to avoid clogs, which require costly repairs and fines from your city.