Tag Archives: restaurant grease trap cleaning

May '23

Why You Can’t Ignore Drainage Issues in Your Restaurant Kitchen

As a restaurant owner or manager, there are many things you need to consider to ensure the success of your business. One crucial aspect that is often overlooked is kitchen drainage. However, you can’t ignore drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen since they can cause significant expenses due to the associated legal and health regulations. This article will discuss the risks of ignoring drainage issues, common drainage issues in restaurant kitchens, and how to prevent them.

The Risks of Ignoring Drainage Issues

Ignoring drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen can lead to several health, legal, and financial risks. The exact health codes and regulations may vary from state to state. However, you should be mindful of the following risks.

Health Risks

If your restaurant kitchen has drainage issues, it can lead to significant health code violations. Here are a few examples of the associated health risks:

Bacteria and mold growth – Standing water and moisture caused by drainage issues can create an ideal environment for bacteria and mold growth. These microorganisms can contaminate food, leading to food poisoning and other illnesses.
Food contamination – If water from a clogged or slow drain backs up into the kitchen sink, it can contaminate the sink and surrounding areas. The contaminated areas can then contaminate food, utensils, and dishes, posing a significant health risk to customers.
Slip and fall accidents – Water on the kitchen floor due to drainage issues can create a slip and fall hazard for your employees, which can cause injuries and lawsuits.

Wet floor in need of cleaning due to draining issues in your restaurant kitchen.

Drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen can lead to slips and falls.

Legal Risks

The health dangers posed by drainage issues can lead to legal complications. Ignoring these issues can also lead to the following legal risks:

Fines and penalties – Local health and safety codes require restaurants to maintain proper drainage. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines and penalties.
Lawsuits – If a customer or employee gets sick or injured due to drainage issues in your restaurant, they may file a lawsuit against you.

Financial Risks

When caught on time, most drainage issues can be solved without too much hassle or expense. However, ignoring drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen can also lead to financial risks, such as:

Cost of repairs – If drainage issues are not addressed promptly, they can cause significant damage to your kitchen’s plumbing system. The cost of repairs can be substantial, which can hurt your bottom line.
Loss of revenue – If your restaurant is shut down due to health or safety violations caused by drainage issues, it can result in a loss of revenue and damage to your restaurant’s reputation.

Grease buildup is one of the most common causes of clogged drains in restaurant kitchens.

Common Drainage Issues in Restaurant Kitchens

Now that we’ve discussed the risks of ignoring drainage issues, let’s explore some of the most common drainage issues in restaurant kitchens and their solutions.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains are one of the most common issues restaurant kitchens face. They can be caused by food debris, grease, and other materials that accumulate in the drainpipe. Signs of a clogged drain include slow-draining sinks, foul odors, and gurgling sounds. To address clogged drains, you can use a plunger or a drain snake. You can also use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to break up the clog. For severe clogs, you may need to call a professional plumber to remove the blockage in the drains.

Slow Drains

Slow drains are another common drainage issue. They are often caused by a buildup of grease and food particles in the drainpipe. Signs of slow drains include standing water in the sink and foul odors. The experts from Spyder Moving, who have experience with commercial moves, say that most of their clients opted to install grease traps to prevent these issues. If you are dealing with slow drains, use a drain cleaner or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to break up the buildup. You can also hire a professional plumber to clean your drain pipes.

Foul Odors

Foul odors are a common drainage issue in restaurant kitchens. Due to the volume of food restaurants make and serve, foul odors are commonly caused by food debris, grease, and other materials accumulating in the drainpipe. Signs of foul odors include unpleasant smells coming from the sink or drain. To eliminate the odors, pour a baking soda and vinegar mixture down the drain. Regular cleaning and maintenance of the grease trap can also help prevent foul odors.

Clean kitchen in a commercial restaurant.

Clean your kitchen regularly to prevent drainage issues.

Preventing Drainage Issues in Restaurant Kitchens

Preventing drainage issues is key to avoiding the risks we discussed earlier. Here are some tips to help you prevent drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen:

Train your staff – get your staff up to speed on the proper disposal of food waste and grease. Encourage them to scrape plates and pans before washing them.
Install a grease trap – to prevent grease from entering the drainpipe. A grease trap should be installed and cleaned regularly to prevent clogs and foul odors.
Use drain covers –covers can catch food debris and prevent them from entering the drainpipe.
Regular cleaning and maintenance – keeping your kitchen’s plumbing system in top shape can help prevent clogs, slow drains, and foul odors.
Schedule regular plumbing inspections – these inspections can detect any potential drainage issues before they become major problems.

Remodeling Your Restaurant’s Kitchen

Remodeling a restaurant’s kitchen is a significant investment that can increase efficiency, productivity, and profitability. However, planning your kitchen remodel carefully is crucial to ensure that it meets your needs and budget. Remodeling your kitchen is an excellent opportunity to upgrade your plumbing and drainage systems and prevent future drainage problems. Consider hiring a professional plumber to inspect your drainage system and identify potential issues. By addressing drainage issues during your kitchen remodel, you can create a safe and hygienic environment for your staff and customers while improving the overall functionality of your kitchen.

Organizing a Commercial Move

Renovating your restaurant’s kitchen can be a stressful and overwhelming process. Perhaps you decided to renovate before moving in, or you might want to move your appliances and kitchen furniture out while the current renovations are ongoing. Either way, it’s essential to have a well-planned moving strategy to minimize downtime and avoid any potential damage to your equipment. When planning a commercial move for your restaurant, it’s crucial to explore budget-friendly options if you want to reduce commercial moving expenses. Consider hiring a professional moving company specializing in commercial moves and offering cost-effective moving solutions. By doing so, you can ensure a seamless move while keeping your costs under control.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, drainage issues in your restaurant kitchen cannot be ignored. They can lead to health, legal, and financial risks and can harm your restaurant’s reputation. Common drainage issues in restaurant kitchens include clogged drains, slow drains, and foul odors. To prevent drainage issues, train your staff, install a grease trap, use drain covers, regularly clean and maintain your plumbing system, and schedule regular plumbing inspections. By following these tips, you can ensure the proper functioning of your restaurant’s plumbing system and the safety of your customers and employees.

Jan '23

5 Ways to Prevent Restaurant Plumbing Problems

5 Ways to Prevent Restaurant Plumbing Problems:

Did you know that preventing plumbing issues in your restaurant is vital?

The resulting issues can be a real pain in the… drain. A leak, clog, or burst pipe can shut down your business, prevent customers from using the restrooms and cause damage to the facilities or equipment. But that is not all. As Windermere Management warns, it can damage your reputation and result in a loss of revenue. Do you know what else could be a problem? The cost of replacement or repairs can be financially draining.

If you do not address such issues immediately, they can escalate to involve more damage. That is because it is a domino effect where one problem causes another. Let’s remember that it may also be hazardous to the health of your employees and customers. That is because a malfunctioning drain causes unsanitary conditions that pose a public health risk. You do not want that on your conscience.

However, there is good news. Preventing plumbing problems will keep your customers loyal and happy. Your customers will be more comfortable if they access the amenities they need. As a result, they will give positive reviews about your restaurant.

Here, we will discuss five ways to prevent plumbing problems in your restaurant so that you will maintain business operations, minimize cost, ensure safety, and keep your customers happy.

Address everything that can cause plumbing issues before they occur

They say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That is especially true when it concerns restaurant plumbing. When you address plumbing issues before trouble strikes, you’ll nip any hidden issue in the bud before it can cause a significant problem.

We advise that you engage in regular schedule maintenance, so you will catch small clogs or leaks before they become serious issues. Inspect the plumbing system for old or worn-out pipes that require replacement to prevent burst pipes.

Keep an eye on the condition of your equipment and sinks. You can save yourself a lot of headaches and money if you are proactive and address potential issues before they become emergencies. Your customers will be happy, and you will have peace of mind that the restaurant’s plumbing is running smoothly.

Invest in clog control to prevent restaurant flooding

As you may know, restaurants deal with a lot of food waste, grease, and other debris that can easily build up to cause clogged pipes. These clogs can cause overflowing sinks, backup toilets, floods, and other severe plumbing issues.

You can control clog in various ways. One way is to conduct regular maintenance where a plumber performs hydro-jetting to clear off all built-up debris. Also, you can hire a plumber to install a grease trap in the kitchen to help catch and prevent grease from entering your pipes to cause clogs.

Another essential step will be to train your employees on the proper disposal of grease and food waste. Provide designated containers where they can dispose of grease, food debris, and ether day items that can clog the drains.

Choose tankless water heaters

According to the National Restaurant Association, quick-service dining restaurants require between 500 to 1,500 gallons of water daily, and full-service dining establishments consume as much as 5000 gallons daily. Most of these are hot water. That is why you cannot afford issues with your water heater.

Tankless water heaters are more durable and long-lasting than tanked water heaters. You will never run out of water in the middle of a busy dinner rush. Since it is tankless, you have nothing to worry about leaks. Tankless water heaters require lesser repairs and maintenance than traditional tanked water heaters. In addition, you will save more money on energy bills.

Control food grease

One of the common causes of clogged drains in restaurants is trapped grease. That is why it is advisable to hire a plumber to help clean the grease trap out. The plumber will install a grease trap and routinely clean the lines. Doing so will prevent clogs from accumulating.

You should have a dedicated drain for grease as part of the control measures. Avoid pouring food grease into other drains. Ensure you train your employees on how to manage dishwashing and grease.

Have a quick response team

You will need a rapid response team with a dedicated plumber for your restaurant’s needs. Even when you perform all the above preventive measures, plumbing accidents that require urgent attention may still occur. However, you can handle such issues if you have a plumber that can respond immediately to salvage the situation.

The bottom line

Preventing restaurant plumbing problems is crucial for maintaining business operations, ensuring safety, minimizing costs, and keeping customers satisfied. When it comes to a restaurant’s plumbing, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Apr '22

Signs Your Chicago Restaurant Grease Trap Needs Cleaning

As a Chicago restaurant owner, there are many things you’ll have to keep an eye on. One of them, there’s no doubt about it, is your trusty grease trap. It doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, right? Right. Luckily, we’ve decided to make the job easier for you. In other words: we’ve selected the most common signs your Chicago restaurant grease trap needs cleaning. Without further ado, let’s take a look at them!

What is a grease trap?

Here’s something you might want to call a standard definition of a grease trap: a plumbing device with a role to intercept a fair amount of greases and solids before they’re allowed entry into the wastewater disposal system. Once that process’s over, the smaller amounts of oil that have pushed through will enter the septic tanks (which also might need a deep clean) and certain treatment facilities. That way, the floating scum layers are formed.

Why should you keep your grease trap clean?

Needless to say, keeping your grease trap in proper condition (clean) is the best way to ensure there won’t be any foul odors inside your Chicago restaurant’s kitchen. Also, there’s another reason why a clean grease trap is very beneficial: you’ll rest assured knowing you’ve cleared any possibility of your kitchen being a health hazard to your employees, clients, or guests!

Will a faulty grease trap cause bad reviews?

As we’ve already said, an unkempt grease trap might be a health issue for your guests. Needless to say, they won’t be happy about it, so you can count on some bad reviews. Online reviews have a tremendous amount of power today, as professionals at usamovingreviews.com can attest. Nowadays, nobody chooses moving companies without reading plenty of reviews about them. And it’s the same with restaurants. More than once, bad reviews have resulted in businesses shutting down. So, you’ve got some good reasons to keep your kitchen clean as a whistle! Now that we’ve got that one out of the way, let’s see those signs your Chicago restaurant grease trap needs cleaning!

A pair of cheeseburgers inside the greasy frying pan.

The grease trap is there to prevent most of the grease and solids that go through your restaurant from entering the wastewater disposal system.

#1 There’s a special kind of stench coming from the kitchen

This is one of the more obvious ways you can tell something’s wrong. As always, our sense of smell is there to tell the difference. Anyway, odors appearing suddenly that have no immediate explanation are probably a clear sign that your Chicago restaurant grease trap needs cleaning. For instance, you might think it’s coming from the garbage. So you throw the trash away, but the smell’s still there.

How does one recognize this “brand” of stench? You’ll want to know that a grease trap usually smells like a combo of cooking oil, food waste, grease, and sludge, all accumulated over time. If you notice a smell that seems to escape every explanation (except the one where there’s a grease trap involved), it must be the thing!

#2 When’s the last time you’ve cleaned the grease trap?

If you’ve got a hard time answering this one because you can’t quite remember the answer since it’s been a long time, it might just mean it’s time to clean your grease trap. Usually, you’ll want to clean your grease trap every three months or so. If it’s possible, organize the cleaning ordeal even more frequently! That’s especially important if you’re running a busy Chicago restaurant. You will “escape” specific issues related to your dirty grease trap and help make your kitchen fit the standard proposed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and Health Department.

Clean your grease trap every three months and you won’t have to worry about the signs that your Chicago restaurant grease trap needs cleaning.

#3 We’ve found grease in an unusual place

There probably isn’t a more visible sign that your Chicago restaurant grease trap could use some cleaning than grease appearing everywhere, even in the most unusual spots around your kitchen. It’ll leave you wondering: now, wait a minute, how’s this even possible? Here’s the answer: if the grease trap “decides” to clog up, the extra grease might find its way through the most accessible exit door such as sinks, sewer pipes, water lines, etc. Once that happens, it’s no wonder that grease ends up just about everywhere around the kitchen. If you notice this, make sure you always inspect if the grease trap’s causing the issue; clean the kitchen thoroughly of any grease deposits that might’ve built up!

#4 Blocked or slow drainage

What would you say is one of the main reasons some sink drains clog up? If you were to say a dirty grease trap, you’d be absolutely right! Remember the famous acronym called FOG (Fats, Oils, and Greases)? If so, you’ll want to know that they’ll start to solidify once they accumulate inside your grease trap. Some time passes, and you’re stuck with a trap that’s full of dense grease. That will make it difficult for water to flow through the sink drain, resulting in very slow waste movement. Eventually, this will lead to some significant issues. The worst of them might cause your restaurant to close temporarily.

There’s no need to emphasize that as soon as you notice excessive amounts of grease buildup inside the trap, it’s time you get professionals to assist you in handling the issue.

An unkempt grease trap might even result in your Chicago restaurant temporarily closing down, so think about that one!

Something of a conclusion

That’s about it on the signs that your Chicago restaurant grease trap needs cleaning! For the end, we’ve left a little suggestion you might find helpful when the time comes (and we hope it’ll never come, but you can never be too sure). As soon as you notice something’s not exactly right with your grease trap, your best bet is to call professionals to take care of the problem. There’s just no doubt about it! A trusty, professional plumbing crew is every restaurant owner’s dream!

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Need your restaurant grease trap cleaned out in the Chicagoland area? Contact us below!