While restaurants throughout MA and RI are unique in what they offer their customers, one commonality among these establishments is that they all rely on grease traps to keep their businesses running smoothly.
Grease traps – also known as grease interceptors – are located between restaurant drain lines and sanitary sewer lines and help to separate and collect fats, oils, and greases from used water. These traps help to prevent unwanted materials from entering the municipal sewer system.
As such, proper maintenance of your grease trap is critical. Often, you’ll experience problems with your grease trap if the levels of collected FOG (fats, oils, and greases) and solids are not monitored. Typical problems include drain line blockages and backups, foul odors, or, if you’re extremely unlucky, too much FOG deposited into the city lines, which results in pretty hefty costs throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
How to Maintain and Clean Out Your Grease Trap – Tips for MA Restaurants
Local governments have ordinances requiring that your grease trap be pumped periodically, so be sure that you check with your town or city first. Aside from these mandatory pump-outs, however, you have other options when trying to clean your grease trap.
Bacteria additives to clean out your MA/RI grease trap
This approach may help you to reduce the necessity of pump-outs (which typically requires you to hire a professional). Grease trap bacteria reduce FOG by biologically breaking down and digesting all this waste. Not only does this potentially reduce your need for frequent pump-outs, but it also will likely help you control odors emitted by the grease trap.
Bacteria blocks
Another popular solution is the use of bacteria blocks. These blocks are suspended from a rope and submerged into the grease trap. Depending on the size of the block and trap, these blocks may last up to a month at a time.
Automatic injection pumps
Yet another solution we see used in our clients throughout Southeastern Massachusetts is the use of automatic injection pumps that automatically pump bacteria into the grease trap at predetermined intervals. This results in a virtually maintenance-free treatment.
What to Remember about Grease Trap Maintenance in MA
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to know the rules and regulations of your local municipality, in terms of the frequency of required pump-outs. Here at Bay State Sewage, we can help you determine what rules you must follow as a local restaurant owner.
You should also keep records of when maintenance procedures are performed (including pump-outs, clean outs, when bacteria is added, etc.) to protect your business.
We also encourage you to tell your staff to not just rinse everything down the drain. Solids and other waste should be thrown into the trash whenever possible. We also suggest you never hot-rinse the drains and trap, because this can prevent grease from cooling in the trap.
Do you need support in maintaining or cleaning your grease trap? Bay State Sewage can help!
Bay State Sewage is the leading provider of maintenance and support for restaurants located in Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Dighton, Mattapoisett, Taunton, Berkley, Freetown, Easton, Middleboro, Acushnet and all of Southeastern MA. Our team of grease trap experts can help ensure you abide by all local laws and will help you prolong the effectiveness and lifespan of your grease trap.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your restaurant remain optimally operational all year long.