The Importance of Regular Grease Trap Cleaning in Strafford County, NH

Grease traps are used in restaurant kitchens to separate the fats, oils and grease (FOGs) from the wastewater before the kitchen water makes it to the main municipal sewer. To be effective at trapping FOGs, traps must be inspected and cleaned often. But because grease traps are typically covered and out of sight, some kitchens leave traps dirty for long periods of time. Delaying the need for cleaning only makes things worse—in fact, failure to perform regular and thorough grease trap cleaning in Strafford County, NH can lead to big problems.

Bad smells

The water that gets through the grease trap should be at least 90 percent free of grease. What that means is that most of the fats, oils and grease that go down the kitchen drain with water are held in the underground grease trap until cleaning time. The FOGs in the trap are still considered food, and food eventually goes bad and rots. It will break down and deteriorate right there in the grease trap, which will soon produce foul odors. Without proper grease trap cleaning, the bad smells will continue to build and make their way back up through pipes in your kitchen and restaurant.

Rotting food smells are bad for business—be sure to create a schedule for grease trap maintenance to avoid stinky air and to keep your traps in good working order.

Damage to the tank system

The FOGs that remain in the trap have to break down. During the process of breaking down, you get hydrogen sulfide, and as a natural result of the decaying process, the buildup of hydrogen sulfide gas creates sulfuric acid. While a natural occurrence, sulfuric acid is extremely toxic and can damage a grease trap tank system’s steel or concrete walls. You could install a plastic tank, which has a better chance at standing up to damage from sulfuric acid, but the best way to keep your grease trap system in good condition is to clean it out on a regular schedule.

Clogs and drain problems

Keep in mind that grease traps are a part of the system that moves water from your sinks out to the main sewer. As such, the trap that is plugged up can impede the flow of water through drains. Grease traps and restaurant kitchen drains function best when they are clean and have no obstructions—a clean trap allows water to flow down drains smoothly.

Cleaning gets harder the more it’s ignored

If you don’t clean your grease traps regularly, you run the risk of food particles settling, thickening and hardening at the bottom of the trap. Over time this hardened food waste becomes more difficult to remove, even building up so much in the system that it adheres to the tank walls and won’t come off. Regular trap cleaning makes the job easier and quicker every time.

Now that you know the importance of grease trap cleaning in Strafford County, NH, it’s time to schedule regular services with B.H. Cameron Septic Services LLC. Call us today!

Categorised in: Grease Trap Cleaning

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