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When Is a Grease Trap Necessary?

Friday, October 24th, 2014 at 6:21 pm

Experts advise that you throw out any type of grease, fat, or oil in a separate trash receptacle instead of pouring it down the drain in your kitchen. This is because these substances can cause major problems for your plumbing system and for the environment. Of course, when you rinse dishes and put food down the disposal, some fat and oil will undoubtedly make its way into the pipes. This is why many homeowners choose to install a grease trap and why most commercial kitchens are required to do so.

Why Is Grease Such a Problem for the Drains?

Fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) seem rather innocuous, don’t they? However, these substances can solidify as they begin to cool down. And as they do so, they can cling to the insides of drain pipes. As food scraps and other debris move through the pipes, they may become stuck on to the sludge that lines the pipes and cause blockage that will require a professional to remove. Furthermore, these oils can create problems in the septic tank or sewer main and allow sewage to release into the environment and pose a risk to public health.

What Types of Structures Require a Grease Trap?

Many cities require a grease trap in order to keep grease out of the sewer system. In many cases, you will be fined if you are found to be responsible for any sewer backup caused by a lack of grease interceptors in your commercial kitchen. The fact is that your commercial kitchen disposes of large quantities of FOG daily, and you need a system that can separate these substances from the wastewater. However, many experts also recommend grease traps for use in homes, especially if you do a lot of cooking and cleaning or if you tend to put greasy dishes in the dishwasher.

Choose Professionals for Grease Trap Installation

Grease trap installation is a job best completed by professional technicians. There are a couple of reasons you should not try this on your own. For one, a grease trap must be properly sized so that grease does not accumulate too quickly. Furthermore, an expert is the best person to keep you informed about how often to clean out the trap.

Need a plumber in Olympia for quality grease trap installation? Call Brooks Plumbing today!

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