The Benefits of Grease Trap Cleaning

How do Professionals Clean Grease Traps?

Most people are probably unaware of what a grease trap does or how it is expected to be maintained. Grease traps are special devices located in the plumbing of restaurants and food service locations that remove grease from water to protect public health and municipal sewer lines that keep society safe from waste. Since grease traps are so important to public health, stringent guidelines are in place that dictates how they should be installed and when one should clean them. 

Health and safety guidelines dictate that professionals should clean grease traps periodically depending on the amount of grease accumulated. Grease trap cleaning services use special equipment to pump grease and effluent out of the grease trap. In addition to removing fats, oils, and grease that have separated from wastewater, they also usually power wash the inside of the trap to remove stubborn deposits. The result is a clean trap ready to continue protecting public sewer systems. 

Prevents Clogging

clogsGrease is particularly bad for sewer systems because it clings to piping. In homes, plumbers recommend discarding grease in the garbage, but the food service industry can’t. Too much grease clings to pots and pans and eventually goes down the drain. Professional grease trap cleaning is necessary because the grease that restaurants accumulate in grease traps can interrupt the flow and cause massive clogs in their sewer lines. 

Grease traps only serve sinks and cleaning areas in food service structures. They don’t treat human waste. Because of this, when a grease trap clogs, it can shut a restaurant down because it can no longer clean dishes or process food. In addition to clogging up the plumbing that the grease trap serves, a clogged grease trap can also allow grease to flow into regular drain lines, where it can cause all kinds of problems in the sewer. 

Cleanings Cost Less Than Repairs

saveRegardless of the problem, routine service is always cheaper than emergency repairs. The same is true when considering grease traps. Grease traps may need to be cleaned as often as twice per month in busy establishments, but the cost of routine cleanings exceeds the lost revenue from service when grease traps clog. In addition to lost revenue, nearly every company charges more for emergency service, and they certainly charge more to make repairs necessary to restore service. Following the recommendations of the health department and grease trap service professionals and scheduling routine cleaning is always the cheaper choice for continued service. 

Helps the Environment

Grease isn’t just a hazard for sewer lines and drain lines. It is also a huge environmental hazard. The grease that escapes water treatment facilities goes out into the environment, where it can deplete oxygen as it rots in waterways. The result is a reduction in waterways’ viability, leading to local wildlife die-offs. Grease trap service is a small price to pay for continued service and a safe environment. 

About Capital City Septic Services

Need professional grease trap services that are polite and professional with competitive pricing? Capital City Septic Services is the local choice for grease trap expertise. Call today for fast responses and no overtime rates on grease trap service in Tallahassee, FL. 

Whose Home Benefits From Grinder Pumps?

What are Grinder Pumps?

Homeowners that don’t know what a grinder pump is are probably not alone. Grinder pumps are not standard equipment for most homes but for homes that need them, they are completely necessary. Losing a grinder pump can cause the sewage in a home to backup, causing nasty messes and a total loss of plumbing functionality until service is restored. 

Grinder pumps are a type of submersible sewage pump with a few extra features. A typical sewage pump is intended to move solids up to two inches in diameter over short distances to sewer mains. Grinder pumps, on the other hand, grind sewage into a slurry that can be pumped long distances to reach sewage treatment facilities or equipment. They are often found in homes with basements or built on a grade below the municipal city sewer main. 

How Do Grinder Pumps Work?pumps

Sewage and grinder pumps are sump pumps intended only for sewage removal. Like a sump pump, grinder pumps have float switches telling the pump when the holding tank is full. Once the float switch is triggered, the powerful motor kicks on to pump sewage from a holding tank into the city’s sewer lines or to a septic system. 

The key difference between sewage pumps and grinder pumps is a powerful grinder located in the pump’s intake. With blades similar to a kitchen garbage disposal, this device can reduce nearly everything flushed down a toilet into a liquid slurry that can be pumped. When grinder pumps have more functionality than sewage pumps, care should be taken to not flush anything down the toilet deemed unflushable. 

Reasons to Install a Grinder Pump

Not every home will need a grinder pump, but for the ones that do, grinder pumps are not optional. Here are the main reasons that one will install grinder pumps and their accompanying hardware: 

  • Low Property Elevation: Most sewer mains are buried deep enough that most customers’ homes can use gravity to deal with their sewage as it flows towards the main. In cases where the home is built lower than the sewer, grinder pumps will be necessary to move the sewage uphill towards the sewer main. 
  • Sewage Traveling Long Distances: Homes far away from city sewer lines or septic tanks will need a grinder pump to move sewage long distances. Grinder pumps will probably be necessary if homes are more than 100 feet from sewer mains. 
  • Pressurized City Sewer Mains: Some cities opt to have pressurized sewer mains to overcome differences in sewer pipe elevation. One will need a grinder pump to push sewage into the system for homes hooking onto this grid. 

Benefits of Grinder Pumps alarm

Grinder pumps are helpful devices that carry several benefits. Among these are: 
  • Integrated alarms that alert homeowners of potential problems
  • Allows people to build homes in places that are unserved by city sewers
  • Helps deal with sewage on properties without septic tanks
  • Longer lasting than sewage pumps
  • Tough and reliable 

For homes with grinder pump systems, don’t forget to schedule maintenance to avoid problems down the road. 

About Capital City Septic Services

Homeowners not hooked up to the city sewer system need a plumber specializing in sewage solutions for homes and businesses. Capital City Septic Services has competitive pricing on personalized solutions for plumbing problems on any property. A live person always answers phones, day or night, so call today for grinder pump service in Tallahassee, FL.