5 Things To Know About Grease Traps

1. What is a grease trap?  

• A  grease trap in  Michigan is essentially a plumbing device that is meant to trap grease and another build-up from entering the wastewater disposal system.
• Grease traps are critical for preventing clogs and other plumbing damages from happening, specifically concerning grease.
• Grease is thick in density and does not dissolve or mix with water. For this reason, having large amounts of grease in your septic systems in Grand Haven, Michigan can be quite problematic for your home or your business as a whole.
• By having a grease trap installed, you stay at peace knowing that grease-free water will enter into your sewer lines, this way avoiding any potential clogs or costly damages.
• A grease trap is an interceptor, which is part of the plumbing system that is designed to trap the following:
• Fats
• Oils
• Grease
• Hardened solid food particles

• You should strongly consider cleaning your grease trap every one to three months in order to prevent grease from building up inside of it.
• The length between cleanings depends on the type of restaurant you run, the amount of grease that you have in your trap, and your own personal preference.
• Grease must be disposed of properly, though, so you should use a company like ours to clean your grease trap

• Restaurants
• Cafes
• Takeaways
• Pubs, bars, and inns
• Hotels
• Schools and colleges
• Bakeries

• Grease traps work on the basis that FOG (fat, oils, grease) are 10 to 15 percent less dense than water and that grease won’t mix with water. Thus, fats and oils float on top of the water.
• When wastewater enters a grease trap, the flow rate is reduced enough so the wastewater is given enough time to cool and separate into 3 layers.
• The grease rises to the top inside the interceptor and is trapped using a system of baffles.
• Solids settle at the bottom and the separated clear water escapes under an outlet baffle.
• Many grease traps also have strainers for collecting solid debris, which reduces the number of solids that settle at the bottom of the trap.
• Over time, solids and grease build-up, and if left to accumulate for long enough they can start to escape through the outlet, and in some circumstances, they can back-up through the inlet.
•  For this reason, the trap must be cleaned/pumped out on a regular basis.

• placed inside or outside the kitchen]
• made of metal, fiberglass, or PVC.
• smaller kinds have limited capacity for handling large volumes of liquid kitchen waste and should be regularly cleaned.
• larger passive or above-ground grease traps are typically installed outside the premises and have considerably larger receptacles

• buried underground and generally have larger capacities than above-ground types.
• made of metal, concrete, or fiberglass.
• establishments prefer this type because it makes for a cleaner look for their establishment since it’s hidden.
• requires more work during installation, due to the fact that it has to be lifted in place by heavy machinery.

•  Regular maintenance should be performed on grease traps.
•  Use only safe and environmentally friendly grease trap treatments.
•  Consult professionals like West Michigan Septic Sewer and Drains Service during major problems

• Ignore grease trap problems. Delaying the necessary repair will only cause the problem to escalate.
• Use low-quality products that can often make the problems worse.

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