Grease Traps for Commercial Kitchen 101

If you are new in the business of commercial eatery and opening a restaurant in Kildare, Dublin and other parts of Ireland, you need to know the essential parts of your business. Opening an eatery doesn’t only mean the flashy part of dining but also the right management inside the kitchen. And for management, you just don’t need to manage your staff and inventory but also the waste. And for waste, you need to have a functional and effective grease trap. But merely having it for your kitchen won’t be enough. You will have to regularly clean and maintain it too. For a new owner of a commercial kitchen, it can be not very easy to understand and that is why we urge you to read on.

What is Grease Trap?

Grease traps have been around for almost a century now and they are also known as interceptors, converters, catchers, grease recovery systems, FOG traps and so on. If you are wondering where these are required to be installed, then here is the list:

• Restaurants
• Takeaways
• Cafes
• Pubs and bars
• Bakeries
• Hotels
• Schools and colleges
• Hospitals
• Factories

The grease trap is the system that collects the FOG (fats, oils and grease) from the wastewater and then let the water flow in the city sewage system. Wastewater coming out of a commercial kitchen contains a huge amount of FOG. Now, if this water goes into the city sewer, the FOG will turn into solid waste and stick to the pipe walls causing damages and breakage. It will also damage the wastewater treatment equipment set up by the city councils and municipalities. If this waste goes into the natural water system, it will cause serious damage to the environment and people. And that is why grease traps are necessary. Foodservice operators are mandatorily supposed to install the grease trap to keep the grease away from sewer and natural water sources.

How Does It Work?

The grease trap works on the basis of simple science. Animal fats and vegetable oil are 10-15% dense than normal water. And that is why it doesn’t get mixed with the water but rather floats on the top of it. The wastewater goes into the grease trap from the sink, kitchen pipe and dishwasher. The low rate is much reduced and that is why the water gets to cool down and get separated into three layers. As a result, the grease rises at the top of the water inside the interceptor and is trapped using a system of baffles. Often you can get the grease traps with a strainer that will separate the solid debris from the wastewater. This will help you reduce the solids to settle at the bottom of the trap.

If the grease mixed wastewater is left inside the grease trap for a long time, then the accumulated grease will try to go to the outlet of water or can even go back to the inlet of the water. To prevent this incident, you need to get grease trap cleaning frequently, preferably in every three months.

We, Greaseco, suggest our clients use grease treatment fluid that will combine non-pathogenic bacteria with nutrients and enzymes. This will break down FOG which, in turn, will help you make your grease trap more efficient for longer.

“But We Don’t Pour Grease Down the Pipe. Do We Still Need It?”

Yes, we keep hearing this all the time from our clients. To get FOG build up inside the sewer, you don’t need to pour grease down the drain. It can happen very naturally. The grease, oils and fats that get accumulated inside the drain are basically from the utensils, plates, pots, work surface and floors. You will be surprised to see how much grease can get out from your kitchen this way. So, yes. Even if you ensure dumping extra grease separately and following the best practices, you need to contact grease trap cleaning services regularly.

So, what are you waiting for? Come to us at Greaseco as we are one of the best grease trap manufacturers and suppliers in Dublin and we install, clean and maintain it for you too. We offer Dublin City Council-approved service with sustainable waste disposal. Dial 01 9081577 to know more about the grease trap cleaning cost and process.