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Grease Trap Basics For Your Northern Virginia Business

Restaurants throughout Northern Virginia are equipped with a grease trap that facilitates the collection of fats, greases and oils contained in water. The grease trap prevents these substances from entering the sewer system and causing damage to the surrounding Northern Virginia area.

Located between the drain line and sewer line, the grease trap can traditionally be found inside or outside of the restaurant. The location of the grease trap is normally dictated by the size of the business, which in turn dictates the size of the grease trap. Obviously, large restaurants will require a large grease trap which is typically located outside simply due to space requirements. Small restaurants using smaller grease traps can usually house them indoors.

Fat, oil and grease cause serious damage to wastewater systems, which leads most Northern Virginia local governments to require the installation of a grease trap in all commercial kitchens. Local regulations dictate the amount of fat, oil and grease that is allowed to leave the commercial kitchen through the wastewater.

As water passes from the drain toward the grease trap, the temperature drops and the grease hardens and rises to the top of the water surface. While the heavier solids fall to the bottom of the grease trap, the hardened grease on the surface is collected and the remaining water passes through to the sewer system.

Regular grease trap maintenance is important to ensure your Northern Virginia commercial kitchen is not held responsible for violating local regulations. Not only is regular grease trap maintenance important for meeting local regulations, it also is essential to ensure proper operation. When grease trap lines are not properly maintained, drain lines will develop blockages, odors will become overpowering and back-ups will occur.

Determine the frequency of grease trap cleanings required by your local municipality to ensure you are not likely to face fines and violations. Some small grease traps can be manually cleaned using a shovel or vacuum, most Northern Virginia commercial kitchens rely on the services of professional grease trap cleaning services such as Soils and Environmental Services. The highly trained, expert staff at SES provide years of experience and expertise for all of your commercial kitchen needs throughout all of Northern Virginia.