What Is the Process for Pumping a Grease Trap?
Common Grease Trap Issues

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What Is the Process for Pumping a Grease Trap?

A grease trap in Auburn is essential for commercial kitchens, hospitals, and schools. Keeping them in good shape can help keep your business running smoothly. Unfortunately, lack of maintenance or clogging grease traps can lead to costly problems for many establishments in the food business. 

Over time, grease traps accumulate Fats, Oil Greases (FOGs) in their tanks, which decompose and emit a rotting odor. A nasty smell at a restaurant could negatively affect the number of customers visiting, causing the company’s reputation to suffer. If the smell is not treated, it could increase complaints.

The cleanliness and maintenance of grease traps are key to maintaining the health and safety of a kitchen.

Let’s take a closer look at the grease trap pumping system and cleaning process.

How do Grease Traps Work?

Fast-casual restaurants often have metal grease traps beneath their sinks. The grease trap collects everything that goes down the drain of the sink. A grease trap in Olympia

collects non-water materials such as food particles, fats, oils, and grease. Clean grease traps should have no problems allowing water to flow through their inlets into the sewer system and out their outlets. 

Grease traps collect solids, oils, and grease, which settle on the bottom, while fats, oils, and grease that float on the surface will settle on the top. The kitchen wastewater

can flow out of the trap once those substances have settled and separated. 

Several filtering mechanisms in grease traps ensure that only water can pass through these structures into the sewers or septic tanks, thereby preventing contamination. 

There is a large variation in the size and placement of grease traps between different types and sizes of food service providers. Grease traps are commonly found in large restaurants, schools, and office buildings parking lots, with manhole covers that allow pumping and cleaning. 

Effective Grease Trap Pumping Steps

  • Step 1: before beginning the cleaning process, ensure the boiling water has cooled down if the grease trap or grease interceptor is being cleaned. In this case, you will be able to scoop out the grease easier after the water has cooled.
  • Step 2: The next step is to remove the stainless steel lid from the equipment using a wrench or crowbar. The gaskets just beneath the lid need to be separated carefully so that they don’t get damaged.
  • Step 3: Now that the grease has floated on the surface of the cooled water, you need to suction out the grease with an appropriate vacuum as it is floating on the surface. This way, grease won’t stick to the baffle filters as liquid levels drop.
  • Step 4: After removing the wastewater and solids, dispose of them as soon as possible. While this happens, ensure that dishwashers, sinks, or other fixtures are not in use. Be careful not to overfill the vacuum, as this will cause grease to spill.
  • Step 5: Make sure the lid of the tank, the stainless steel sides, and the baffle filters inside the tank are free of grease waste. Ensure your grease trap in Federal way is working properly by removing any solid FOG waste pieces.
  • Step 6: Now that the solid food waste, fats, oils, and grease have been removed from the grease trap, you may wonder how to clean it. Grease traps and filters can be thoroughly cleaned with soap, warm water, and steel scouring pads. To eliminate foul-smelling odors, remove and clean the range hood filters.
  • Step 7: You should double-check the grease trap in Seattle to ensure you have removed all the fat, cooking oil, grease, and food solids.
  • Step 8: Clean water should be poured down the kitchen sink. You’re all set if the water flows smoothly through. Water that does not flow easily may indicate a blockage within the drainage line that needs to be repaired by a professional.
  • Step 9: As long as everything is working smoothly and water is flowing freely through the grease trap now, you should be able to replace all the grease trap components at this point.
  • Step 10: Once the waste products are trapped in the vacuum, mix them with kitty litter or sand until they solidify, and pour them into a sturdy black bin liner. Be sure to seal this bag and responsibly dispose of the grease trap waste

The Importance of choosing the right Grease Trap service provider

There are grease traps that must be pumped out at least once a month, and there are others that can wait longer between pump-outs. When the grease level in your grease trap reaches a point that requires pumping out, West Coast Grease Traps will monitor and pump it out.  Our reliable, local service is ready to assist you if your grease trap needs to be cleaned out.

 As a local grease trap service provider, it is our responsibility to maintain and keep your grease trap clean regularly, service it, and pump it out if it needs it.  You will receive the documentation required by your regulator once your grease trap has been pumped out.  

With West Coast Grease Traps, you can expect timely grease trap pumping and cleaning. The walls of your grease trap are cleaned, the solids and grease are pumped out, and the grease trap in Bellevue is left in excellent working condition. A team of dedicated and well-trained technicians ensures clean, thorough service while maintaining a friendly and courteous attitude.

Conclusion

Pumping your grease trap regularly will save your business money and ensure a clean and comfortable work environment.

Get in touch with West Coast Grease Trap if you have questions about prices or need help pumping your grease trap in Tacoma. Call now to schedule an appointment.

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