Grease traps are a critical feature of every restaurant, collecting fats, oils, and grease that would otherwise end up in sewer systems. They keep your operations running smoothly, but if they are not maintained, they can present inconvenient costs and safety hazards. Here’s why grease trap cleaning is essential. 

Why Restaurants Need Professional Grease Trap Cleaning

1. Unpleasant Odors

As old grease, fats, and oils build up in a trap, they start to emit a foul odor. The smell will begin to permeate your restaurant, tarnishing the flavor of the food and your customers’ dining experiences. If it is strong enough, it might affect the quality of your staff’s work. Bad odors can ruin the atmosphere you built for your business and may drive customers away.

2. Clogging

Grease traps separate and capture grease from wastewater, allowing the fluid to flow freely into the sewer lines. The accumulated grease fills the trap from the top down. Once the mass grows large enough to block the bottom of the trap, you could end up with major clogging. 

A grease blockage can cause backups, severe overflowing, and damage pipes and sewage. Your restaurant would need to shut down while the plumbing is repaired. Fortunately, regular grease trap cleaning will prevent excessive buildup.

3. Fines

When you develop a blockage, grease from your kitchen can end up in the water supply and cause sewage backups. Authorities would then conduct an investigation, which would narrow the source to your restaurant. This could result in heavy fines and penalties for the resulting damage.

4. Fires

Grease fires burn very hot, spread quickly, and cannot be put out like a normal fire. It is a natural reaction for people to reach for water, but since water and oil don’t mix, this can cause the oil to splash and spread the grease fire further. This makes grease fires particularly dangerous. A full grease trap can catch fire very easily. To avoid the risk and remove the fire hazard from your restaurant, have your grease trap cleaned.
 

If your restaurant’s grease trap is due for a cleaning, get in touch with Valley Proteins in Winchester, VA. This company has been providing sustainable and convenient grease recycling services to the food service industry since 1949. With grease trap pumping, waste disposal, and preventative line jetting, they’ll help your restaurant remain in compliance with local regulations while keeping wastewater safe for your community and the environment. Visit their website for more information about grease trap maintenance. To schedule grease trap cleaning, call (800) 871-3406.