How does a grease trap work?

Although there are some variations, a grease trap is a simple design that has changed little over the past 150 years. Public food service establishments use grease traps, but they can also be found in schools, large apartment buildings or private homes that use a septic system instead of a public sewer. As we all learned in elementary school, oil and grease are less dense and tend to float on top of the water. A grease trap uses the principle to separate grease from dirty water as it flows into the top of a box while the water is drained from the bottom. This allows for grease to remain behind in the top of the box and out of the pipes. This simple technique keeps large amounts of grease from clogging pipes, but the trap itself needs to be cleaned periodically.

What happens when a grease trap is cleaned

This grease trap service process is simple, but it must be done frequently enough to keep it from overflowing. Once the equipment is brought to the area where the grease trap resides, the next step is to remove the excess grease. A technician will suction out the residue from inside and clean up any grease outside the trap and remove the contents to a holding tank. The process usually takes less than an hour and can be scheduled for when the business is closed or slow due to possible odors.

How to prevent costly grease trap cleanup

Unfortunately, when a grease trap stops working, it can cause problems inside the property and in the pipes. One costly mistake is to allow grease traps to clog sewer pipes. This could cause your sinks and toilets could overflow into your commercial property. In addition to fixing the issue with a clogged pipe, you may then also need to have the area cleared of the backup and repair floors, drywall or ceilings.

Why should my company use a comprehensive grease trap service?

Inspections and maintenance from companies who only focus on the grease traps are not actually saving you money. A full-service company with grease trap service will have other tools they can use when additional problems occur with the associated plumbing. This means they have hydro jetting to clear pipe clogs and fiber optic cameras on ropes to find clogs in pipes. This translates into lower repair costs since a full-service team does not have to call in other contractors to do related tasks. Hydro jetting and using cameras are also far less invasive techniques and require less cleanup.

Grease trap service for commercial properties

To find out more about how we can help you with your next Savannah plumbing emergency, call us today. In addition to 24-hour emergency services and EASY ESTIMATEs, we also handle a wide range of assistance with residential and commercial plumbing issues. This means we are a one-stop solution for installations, repairs, maintenance or inspections.

We also offer services for hot water heaters and water filtration systems. When a pipe is clogged, we use hydro jetting and fiber optic cameras to complete the job right the first time. To get started, call our friendly staff today.