Grease Trap Service Done Right

How Does a Grease Trap Work? 

Grease traps and grease interceptors are the last line of defense for keeping food debris from entering the city’s wastewater treatment facilities. They’re essentially a tank underground that is a part of the wastewater plumbing. 

Grease traps operate on the fact that oil is less dense than water. Grease and oil float to the top of the tank while the water flows underneath. The tank outlet is low enough that only water can flow through it.

Grease Trap vs. Grease Interceptor

What is the difference between a grease trap and a grease interceptor? The answer is the flow rate. Water in a grease trap enters at less than 50 gallons per minute, while water in a grease interceptor operates at over 50 gallons per minute.

Larger establishments use interceptors to deal with more waste and water usage. However, you must consider the capacity of whichever type is best for you.

FOG and Sludge

In a grease trap, we refer to grease that floats to the top of the water as FOG. FOG stands for fats, oil, and grease and can wreak havoc in your plumbing.

There’s a reason that home cooks and commercial kitchens alike do not pour used oil down the drain. As it cools, it becomes a sludge that can back up plumbing or destroy the pipes.

Any food solids sent down the drain also get caught in grease traps. Since they’re usually heavier than water, they sit on the bottom of the tank.

During a grease trap cleaning, a professional will pump FOG and food solids out of the tank.  

Using Grease Trap Cleaning Service

While it’s possible to take care of commercial grease trap cleaning on your own, there are plenty of reasons to use a professional service. What does it all come down to? Convenience for you.

Stay Compliant

Water down the drain goes to a municipality-run facility that cleans and repurposes it. Food waste and FOG in the water supply can lead to hefty fines.

You also want a pleasant experience for your guests. When the grease trap gets too full, FOG and food solids decompose and emit foul odors through the vents. Bad smells make for an unpleasant experience for customers and staff alike and may lead to a visit from the health inspector.

Save Money on Repairs

FOG sludge hardens and can cause serious plumbing issues. Water can’t get through to the sewer and cause serious backups that aren’t pretty to clean up. If the sludge eventually damages the pipes, that’s even more money to repair. Using the service DAR PRO provides keeps your pipes in the best shape possible.

Stay Cleaner

Cleanliness is paramount in restaurants. While everyone who might need to deal with the grease trap has the resources to adequately clean to food-handling health standards, that “icky” feeling can follow you around. A professional grease trap cleaning service can eliminate all sanitation concerns.

Save the Environment

While your customers’ experience, pocketbook, and convenience should convince you to use a professional grease trap cleaning service, environmental concerns are also on the list of benefits.

Decomposing FOG and food waste in landfills emit greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These result in climate change. Professional cleaning services like DAR PRO Solutions recycle reclaimed material to manufacture sustainable biofuel and renewable diesel.

How Professional Grease Trap Services Do It

The FOG and food found in grease traps falls under “cradle to the grave” responsibility. This means that restaurants are responsible for the content of their grease traps, even after it leaves the premises.

That’s why DAR PRO professionals take extra care to clean the grease trap to the best of their abilities, and transport FOG material safely to a recycling facility.

Thorough Cleaning

Using a powerful vacuum, we pump out the FOG, sludge, and food solids from the grease trap. Next, we rinse everything again with water to break up and pesky solids. After that, it’s emptied once again, and then it’s ready until the next service is scheduled.

DAR PRO Solutions doesn’t use any harsh chemicals in the cleaning process.

Safely and Securely

We believe in safety throughout the whole cleaning process. Our fleet drivers are extensively trained (and tested) to keep operations running smoothly and without incident. Our fleet is clearly marked, and each vehicle is equipped with the latest logistics and safety technology.

Compliance

Environmental and safety compliance is an easy way to avoid big headaches down the road. Because DAR PRO operates all across the country, every employee in each service area is up to date on local regulations.

Once again, while it’s possible to take care of commercial grease trap cleaning on your own, there are plenty of reasons to use a professional service. What does it all come down to? Convenience for you.

Best Practices to Help the Pros

While the professionals at DAR PRO Solutions take care of all the dirty work when it comes to grease traps, there’s a lot you can do between cleanings to ensure everything in the system is running as smoothly as possible.

Rinse Plates with Cold Water

FOG solidifies as it cools. If it enters the grease trap even slightly hardened, it has a better chance of being caught and not entering the sewage system. Rinse dishes in cold water to start that process.

Put Food in Compost or Trash

Grease traps can catch food solids, but keeping food out of them as much as possible keeps them functioning better between cleanings. Throwing food away to end up in landfills contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. If local composting services are available, send food waste there.

Use a DAR PRO UCO System 

DAR PRO Solutions offers grease trap cleaning and used cooking oil collection services. We install a used cooking oil storage tank and collect the oil regularly. Not only will this make it easier for you to dispose of grease properly, but it’ll give you the tools to keep more FOG out of your grease trap.     

Let DAR PRO Solutions Help You Out 

We have years of experience recycling used cooking oil and collecting it at the convenience of business owners. Restaurant grease trap cleaning is a hassle. We have the equipment to pump grease traps efficiently, and we’ll do it only as often as you need.

Give us a call today at 877-689-2146 for easy, sustainable solutions.