5 Signs It’s Time for Grease Trap Cleaning Services

by Kevin Smith Author

If you own a busy restaurant, you know how important it is to stay on top of grease trap cleaning. Fall behind on this essential plumbing maintenance task and your kitchen operations could come to a sudden halt. Luckily, this doesn’t have to happen, especially when you stick with a regular cleaning schedule.

But what if you get off track? How do you know when it’s time to call for grease trap cleaning services in Decatur, IL? The easiest way to know when to make the call is when you notice any of the following problems.

Bad Odors

Dirty grease traps smell. The longer you go in between cleanings, the more likely it is that you’ll notice an unpleasant odor coming from the drains in your kitchen. When the smell gets overwhelming, don’t ignore it. Instead, call your commercial plumber to clean out the trap.

Slow Drainage

When grease traps don’t get cleaned on schedule, the fat, cooking oils, and grease inside the trap solidify. This creates an obstacle for water and causes drainage issues. Clogged drains don’t just make it hard for water to flow at a decent rate. They can cause serious backups that affect your kitchen and can lead to unexpected closures.

Grease Equals 25% of Total Liquid Depth

When grease accumulations reaches 25% or more of the wastewater depth of the grease trap, it’s time to call for cleaning services. Allowing grease to accumulate beyond the 25% mark makes it harder for plumbers to clean out the trap. Additionally, going beyond the 25% is also against EPA regulations.

Grease Pops Up in Unusual Places

Have you noticed a buildup of grease in weird places in your kitchen? When grease accumulates, it looks for the easiest escape route which might be your water pipes, sinks, and dishwasher. When you find yourself scratching your head and wondering how grease ended up in a strange place, call for cleaning services.

When It’s Been Longer than 3 Months

How long has it been since you’ve had grease trap cleaning done at your restaurant? Best practices recommend that all commercial kitchens call for cleaning services once every 3 months. However, this is just a suggested timeframe. Although you should never go longer than 3 months, you might need cleaning services sooner. Busy restaurants might need to clean their grease traps every month. Staying current with grease trap cleaning lets you operate your business worry-free and keeps you in line with current EPA and Health Department requirements.

Keep your restaurant in its best condition and schedule grease trap cleaning services in Decatur, IL, today!