Clean It At 25 Percent, Not At Failure
A grease trap is not optional equipment in a commercial kitchen. It is what keeps fats, oils and grease out of the municipal sewer, it is required in most food service establishments, and when it fails it fails during service.
The single most useful number in this whole subject is 25 percent. That is the fill level at which a trap should be pumped, and the reason is not fussiness: past roughly a quarter full, separation stops working properly and grease starts leaving with the wastewater. Cleaning quarterly is the common rule, but a high-volume kitchen can hit 25 percent in weeks.
We install, replace, size and service traps and interceptors, and we schedule the work between services rather than through them.
The first three are routine. The last three mean call now.
Sewer or rancid smell in the kitchen that returns after cleaning. Usually the trap is past its service point and the odor is what escapes when separation stops working.
Kitchen fixtures draining slower than they did. Grease is narrowing the line downstream of the trap, which is exactly what the trap exists to prevent.
Visible accumulation in fixtures or at the trap. Once grease is appearing upstream, the system is already past the point where cleaning is a scheduled task.
An interceptor pushing back is an emergency in a working kitchen. It stops service, and in most jurisdictions it is also a reportable event.
A trap with a compromised shell is not containing anything. This is replacement territory, and continuing to use it risks both a failure and a compliance problem.
A trap needing attention more often than it should is usually undersized for the kitchen it serves. More frequent cleaning treats the symptom; correct sizing solves it.
Whichever applies, the work is scheduled so your kitchen keeps running.
They are not the same thing, and the wrong one is a recurring problem rather than a one-off cost.
| Grease Trap | Grease Interceptor | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Indoors, under or near the sink | Outdoors, usually underground |
| Typical capacity | Smaller, lower flow | Much larger, high flow |
| Suits | Cafes, small kitchens, single fixtures | Restaurants and high-volume kitchens |
| Service frequency | More often, smaller job | Less often, larger job |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher, plus excavation |
| If undersized | Constant service, grease still escapes | Same problem at larger scale |
| How we decide | Fixture count and flow rate | Fixture count and flow rate |
We find what is actually wrong rather than replacing the first part that could explain it. The fix is often smaller than expected.
You get the price before work starts, parts included, and an honest read on repair versus replacement.
We complete the work, test it in front of you, and leave the area the way we found it.
"Cesar was very knowledgeable and professional. He knew what the problem was and resolved our issue very quickly! Would highly recommend Hack's Plumbing & Drain to my family and friends!!!"
"I've been working with Hack for over 20 years, he and his team are the only ones I trust. From small job to large, they always get it done right and take care of you."
Installation, replacement, sizing or scheduled cleaning. We work around your service hours so the kitchen keeps running.
Backflow testing, repairs and the rest of what restaurants and property managers need.
See Commercial PlumbingThe kitchen line behind the trap needs clearing on a schedule too.
See Hydro JettingNeighborhood-level notes for the eight cities we publish, from coastal corrosion to hard water inland.
See Service Areas
