Every restaurant should have a grease trap installed in their kitchen; however, many are running without one. This is mainly due to lack of understanding of their importance. We have put together four common questions to help restaurant owners understand what grease traps are for and why they need maintaining.
Why should I install a grease trap?
If your kitchen is already running efficiently, you are probably wondering why you need to install a grease trap. The answer is that grease can cause real issues for your plumbing, causing a build-up of fat and eventually blockages in your pipes. This can in turn damage the whole plumbing system, putting members of the public at risk due to overflow and health issues. This can also damage your property if water flows onto your floors and into the kitchen itself.
According to the Guardian, 90 per cent of restaurants in London have failed to install grease traps, meaning that they are contributing to the massive problem of fatbergs that are choking the sewerage systems of London.
What does a grease trap do?
Running a kitchen produces grease, both when cooking food and washing dishes. By rinsing pans and plates in your sink, grease enters the plumbing system and solidifies, leading to fatbergs. A grease trap will simply trap the grease and also solid waste, meaning only water will enter the pipes and plumbing system. Stainless steel grease traps are often used, as they are hard-wearing.
Do I need a grease trap?
If your kitchen produces grease, you are likely to need a grease trap. Even if you are a very small kitchen, you are still adding to the build-up of waste in the sewage system. If you are a commercial kitchen of any size, you need to install a grease trap from a supplier such as https://www.ukgreasetrapsdirect.co.uk/stainless-steel-grease-traps.
How do I look after my grease trap?
A grease trap needs regular maintenance and will require pumping when it is approximately 25 per cent full of waste. How often this happens is dependent upon the size of your kitchen and the amount of grease produced. It will also depend on the size of your trap, the type of food you prepare, and how you clean your dishes. On average, a grease trap should be pumped once a week.
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