Do You Need A Grease Trap Installation?

Do You Need A Grease Trap Installation?

We are all familiar with the plumbing rule that warns us not to flush nondegradable objects or toss food particles down the kitchen drain. But did you know that grease, fats, and oils are just as hazardous for our plumbing system as the aforementioned? From our experience at Metro Septic Pumping, they are just as likely, if not more likely, to cause a clog in your drains. Generally, the solution to the issue of grease, fats, and oils is to pour them into a container and toss the closed container once it is full. However, if you are in a commercial kitchen or a busy home-business kitchen, then that process can be too time consuming. That is when you consider a grease trap installation.

The Threat That Greases Pose

How is grease risky for your drains? They are fluid after all, right? Sort of. Though greases are fairly fluid when they are hot, they turn more and more viscous as they cool down. So, as the greases travel through the plumbing system and react with the cool pipes and water, they become sticky and harden. More likely than not, the grease will cling to a pipe while hardening, causing a blockage. We all know the dangers of a drain blockage: slow water flow, cracks, leaks, and more. Call for Septic Tank Cleaning in your area.

Greases are also double trouble if you have a septic system. “Good” bacteria housed in the septic tank is responsible for breaking down solid waste into sludge. Greases overwhelm those microbes, causing issues with the break down process and even causing problems with proper drainage. 

How Grease Traps Work

A grease trap is a fairly simple solution for a simple yet troublesome issue. It is designed to trap grease, and even some solids, before they enter your wastewater plumbing system and work in a similar way as your septic tank. The trap is a container of water with separate sections in which greases, fats, and oils rise to the top and the wastewater continues through the plumbing. Once the trap is filled, the scum is pumped out just as septic tanks are pumped.

Remember, though, that grease traps are not food disposal units. They are not meant to handle food scraps. Still continue to scrape unfinished foods, gravy, and sauces into the garbage bin. Do not overwhelm the grease trap as it could malfunction.

Is A Grease Trap for You?

A grease trap is a simple and useful device but is not totally necessary for everyone. If you are an owner of a residential property, then you are better off pouring greases, oils, and fats into a separate container and disposing of the container every so often. However, if you are running a cooking business out of your home and use a significant amount of oils in your cooking, then a grease trap might save you from plumbing issues down the line. Of course, commercial cooking is definitely a call for a grease trap. In fact, many states require grease trap installations at commercial kitchens.