Grease Traps – Everything You Need To Know

A grease trap is designed to prevent fats, oils and grease (FOG) entering wastewater systems and cause pipe blockages. They are installed mainly in commercial and industrial buildings where cooking is frequently performed. To ensure the sewer systems and other drainage systems are not clogged grease removal is essential. Optimised Plumbing Services offers reliable Emergency Plumber services where we promise to correctly work with grease traps.

A grease trap blocks solids, fats, oils and grease from entering the sewage system. This is to prevent large scaled blockages, backflow, and disruptions with plumbing lines. The trap works by collecting food at the bottom and grease, fats and oils at the top. A grease interceptor can be located near a sink or be located underground outside a building.

What is a Grease Trap?

A grease trap, sometimes called grease interceptor or grease arrestors, are used to catch fats, oils, grease and solid waste. They catch these items to prevent them from entering the sewage system. The waste caught will also need to regularly be cleaned out and given to a wastewater treatment plant or disposed of sustainably.

A grease interceptor will need to be installed as close to the kitchen as it can but also be easy to access for maintenance. The two main types of grease traps are:

• Interior – this is when the trap is installed inside and close to the kitchen. They will often be close to the sink and dishwasher and mostly located in cafes, fast food outlets and smaller hotels.
• Exterior – for larger buildings, kitchens or places with numerous commercial kitchens the trap will be installed outside. It is most likely to be installed underground or in the open where a person can easily access it.

How is a Grease Trap Installed?

There are many steps involved in a grease trap installation, including:

• Seeking approval from Sydney Water or a local water authority before the pre-treatment can be installed and discharge trade waste water can occur.
•  A licensed plumber will need to be contacted to inspect the plumbing and area. Once they have inspected the place they will need to provide an updated sewer service diagram and Certificate of Compliance.
• The grease trap has to be a minimum of 1000 litres and a maximum of 5000 litres to capture grease efficiently. It will need to be connected to the plumbing lines of the kitchen, sink, dishwasher, garbage areas, floor waste and food preparation areas.
• Venting the grease traps is important as well so a minimum 100mm diameter venting pipework will need to be connected.

Does the Grease Trap Need to Have Maintenance?

A part of proper commercial plumbing maintenance is to have the grease trap regularly cleaned and inspected. The inspection should occur once a month with a guide to grease trap maintenance follows:

1. Look at the structure of the actual grease trap to ensure it is functioning correctly. The lid will need to be firmly sealed and connected so there are no gaps for insects to squeeze through. If there are any cracks, chips or corrosion occurring on the lid or walls of the trap then they need to be repaired or replaced.
2. Inspect the surroundings of the grease trap making sure nothing is interfering with the trap. If any insects or small animals have been found in or around the trap then these need to be dealt with correctly. The pipework entering and exiting the trap and building will need to be inspected. If the trap is outside then it is important that it is level and the foundations are not tampered with.
3. Looking at the deposit of the grease which is inside the trap is extremely important. If there is a large amount of grease and waste or if it is thick then it should be disposed of properly. This is to help prevent the trap itself from being blocked, overloaded, smell or have the chance of backflow.

How Do I Dispose of the Waste in the Grease Trap?

It is vital that the grease and waste caught inside of the trap are not thrown into the wastewater system, sewage system or into the grease trap plumbing. Store the waste and have it recycled at a proper disposal place. It is also essential that the waste collected from the trap is not drained into the environment as this can be extremely harmful.

Reliable Grease Trap Installation and Maintenance Services

Here at Optimised Plumbing Services, we will reliably work with grease trap systems all over Sydney. Our certified plumbers will make sure that all the pipework and fittings of the trap are correctly installed. When we need to repair or replace the grease trap system we will always work safely at all times. We also will professionally clean and perform maintenance tasks with the grease trap and ensure it is working properly.

Each emergency plumber will work with grease traps across Sydney, including Eastern Suburbs and Sutherland Shire. We are also experts with handling Blocked Drain problems, from the grease trap to general plumbing units.

For the best grease trap services and reliable plumbers – trust Optimised Plumbing Services!