The Do's and Don'ts of Grease Trap Maintenance

Maintaining your grease trap is extremely important to keep your restaurant or business operating properly. At John Kline Septic Services, we offer professional and affordable grease trap service in Lancaster, Pa and the surrounding areas for businesses of all sizes. Whether you own a small bakery or you're a franchisee with many stores to manage, we can help keep your grease trap clean and your toilets flushing smoothly! Today, we're sharing some simple do's and don'ts when it comes to your grease trap, so take note.

Do: Hire a Professional

Calling a professional septic and grease maintenance company is your best solution when it comes to grease trap maintenance. Attempting to do it all yourself simply isn’t a feasible option. A professional will make sure the job is done right and we have the equipment to clean out your drain lines and remove any potential clogs. There's a reason they call us professionals. Our technicians are efficient and know how to be compliant with state and federal laws. Plus, we'll take care of all the paperwork.

Don't: Forget to Have Your Grease Trap Cleaned On a Regular Basis

The easiest way to prevent a messy backup is to have your grease trap serviced and inspected regularly. If you’re new to the restaurant business or you’re not sure your small operation needs a grease trap, we’re happy to review your kitchen habits and help you create some best practices for grease and waste removal. The more grease your establishment produces, the more often your trap will need to be serviced. If your menu includes fried food you’ll definitely need to consider a routine maintenance plan. On average, we visit most restaurants every two months - some more often and some less often.

Grease traps are designed to trap fats, oils and grease (FOG), filtering these substances from going down the drain and entering the public sewer line. If your grease trap is not working properly, FOG can solidify and build up inside your pipes. When the build up becomes too much, the FOG can block other particles of food and waste from passing and before you know it you have a major backup in your kitchen. This is why regular maintenance is absolutely necessary when it comes to your restaurant or business.

Do: Make Sure Your Grease Trap Is Properly Installed

It seems obvious that if you have a grease trap, it was properly installed, right? While one would think so, that may not always be the case. Like anything else, a grease trap can be installed incorrectly and that could easily lead to problems in the way it’s doing its job. But how do you tell if your trap is working well or not? The answer is simple. If you’re noticing that your grease trap has little to not grease accumulating in it, something isn’t right and it likely wasn’t installed correctly. If this happens, you should call a professional (like us!) to come check it out. We’re happy to get things installed correctly and review your kitchen habits to help you create some best practices for grease and waste removal.

Don't: Empty Food & Grease Down the Drain

One of the easiest ways to keep things working properly and prevent a backup is to instruct employees, dishwashers and staff to dispose of food waste and grease in the trash - not down the drain. Inevitably grease and debris will make their way down the drain and your grease trap will do its job, but proper waste management will help prevent clogs and backups.

Do: Make Sure You Have Line Jetting Performed by a Professional

High Pressure Jetting or Line Opening is an effective method of pipe cleaning and one of the more crucial parts of preventive grease trap maintenance. With this method, a hose with powerful jets is inserted into the plumbing and water is forced out, in a circular motion, at high pressure (usually 2,000-4,000 lbs. per square inch). This is one of the most effective ways for completely removing debris from pipe walls and should be performed several times a year. We have multiple line opening vehicles and technicians that work full time to tackle grease trap maintenance in Lancaster, Pa and the surrounding Central Pa area.

Don't: Expand Your Business Without Expanding Your Grease Trap Capacity

If your business has grown or your menu has changed but your kitchen has not, make sure your trap can handle the amount of waste you’re producing. If you’re not sure how to check, ask one of our friendly technicians. We’re happy to review your kitchen and your trap to make sure everything is functioning properly and that your grease trap is the appropriate size to handle your grease waste needs.

Do: Make sure your food prep and wash sinks are tied into a trap.

Regardless of the types of food you prepare, this will help prevent food particles, grease and debris from going down the drain. If you haven't caught on yet, proper set up and installation of your grease trap is essential! If you're new to the restaurant business and you have questions about how grease maintenance works, just ask us! We've been in the septic and grease disposal business for over 6 decades so we know a thing or two about grease trap cleaning in Central Pa.

Now that you know what to do and what not to do, the next step is to schedule your grease trap clean out. Give us a call when your grease tank is ready to be emptied or your lines need to be jetted. Our team is standing by! We service Lancaster, York, Lebanon, Berks, Dauphin, and Chester County Pa.