A grease trap is a device that captures and removes grease, fats, and oils from wastewater and prevents it from entering the municipal wastewater system. Municipal wastewater systems can handle and treat the relatively small quantities of grease produced by residential customers, but they cannot handle the large volume of grease produced by commercial customers such as restaurants. In addition, without a grease trap, all that grease can clog sewer lines and cause problems with the sewer system.
Since homeowners dispose of relatively small amounts of grease, they don’t need to install grease traps in their drains but many commercial entities are required by local law to have them. Grease trap regulations are set by local governments and vary depending on the location, but in general most commercial establishments that dispose of more than a limited amount of grease through their drain lines are required to have grease traps. Restaurants are the most common type of establishment that needs to have a grease trap.
Grease traps look like a large box with baffles that are designed to capture the grease. Wastewater enters the box from one end and cools inside the box. Grease, oil and fat solidify and float to the surface and are trapped inside the box. Wastewater flows out the other end of the box and flows into the sewer system.
Regular grease trap cleaning or grease trap pumping is vitally important to keep a grease trap operating properly. A clogged grease trap will cause drains to back up and might allow grease to enter the sewer system. A good sewer septic company that handles commercial septic pumping will offer grease trap pumping and disposal of waste grease. Keeping the grease trap clean with regular cleaning an pumping will keep the grease trap working great and prevent messy backups.
