A grease trap, or grease interceptor, is a plumbing feature designed to prevent grease and other solid materials from entering a septic system. If grease enters the sewers, it will congeal, forming a solid mass. These solid masses can cause commercial drain backups, clogs and burst pipes. Grease traps are usually used in restaurants and other facilities where a lot of grease is used, and has the capacity to go down the drain. To prevent the grease from going down the drain in these facilities, a grease trap is installed.
How Does a Grease Trap Work?
A grease trap works by capturing absolutely everything that goes through the drain, including water, grease, and other solid and liquid matter. A grease trap has two separation basins. The first basin fills with all the matter that is drained from the sink. There, the matter is cooled. When grease is cooled, it congeals, becoming a solid. Both the solid matter and the congealed grease float to the top, leaving the liquid at the bottom of the first basin. Towards the bottom of the first basin is a tube that allows all liquid matter to flow into the second basin. The second basin is used to trap any additional grease that may have gotten through the first basin, so the same process is repeated. The grease trap needs to be cleaned in order to work properly, and it is possible for the grease trap to become too full to function.
Grease Trap Maintenance
Avoid putting oils and grease down a drain as it is one of the worst things to do for a grease trap. It will cause the trap to fill quickly, and it will need to be cleaned and maintained more often. Food waste should also be strained out of the drainage system and should be discarded in another way. If a grease trap has not been cleaned out properly, clogs may occur. It is possible to have clogs in the ingoing line, outgoing line, and the crossover pipe, but these are not all due to the grease trap being full.
Guidance Tips
* Keep fat, oil and grease, including that in food waste out of the drains.
* Check the grease trap regularly ideally once a week but more regularly if required.
* Don't wait until the grease trap is full before you empty it. It is easier to empty earlier and avoids excess grease being released into the drains.
* Remove all the grease and clean the grease trap in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Do not put any of the grease removed back into the drain; it should be stored in a suitable container for collection.
* Grease trap maintenance is a specialist operation consider employing a trained contractor to do the work.
