When running a busy restaurant, the state of your drains and grease trap is probably the least of your concerns. You are probably too preoccupied figuring out how to improve your menus, customer service, and the general customer experience. Unfortunately, neglecting your grease trap can lead to severe consequences, such as authorities suspending your licenses until you clear out the mess. Therefore, it is important to schedule grease trap pumping services when you notice the signs discussed below.

1. Slow Drains

Traps are designed to sieve fats and grease from wastewater before flowing down the drains. However, grease and fats trapped build up and harden over time, causing inefficiency and slow drainage. Therefore, you need to inspect your trap regularly to see if there's a white cap at the top. If yes, this could explain the recent slow drains or standing water.

Grease build-up makes it hard for water to pass through the drainage system. Therefore, you should schedule pumping and cleaning services to eliminate the build-up and help the trap resume its functions.

2. Weird Odor

Wastewater contains grease, fats, food remains, and sludge that smells awful, especially if they have been sitting at the drain for a prolonged period. Most of these odor-emitting contaminants get trapped and begin to accumulate. They may start to decay, producing a weird smell that is not easy to remove.

No matter how often you clean your sink, the smell will remain. So if that's what you have been encountering, it is time to call the specialists for grease trap pumping. Eliminating the build-up is the only viable and lasting solution to dealing with the odd smell.

3. Grease Leaks

If you are lucky not to encounter funny smells or slow drainage, you could encounter grease leaks. When grease build-up becomes excessive, you may start to find traces of the fats and oils in water lines, drainage pipes, sewer lines, and within the sinks.

The result is a messy kitchen that can lead to cross-contamination and health hazards. If you find grease in unusual places, consider pumping out the traps to restore water flow and sanitation.

4. It Is Long Since You Last Serviced the Grease Trap

Grease trap pumping and cleaning should be regular if you own a commercial kitchen. A clean trap keeps the health hazards at bay to avoid downtime or business closure. It also prevents costly repairs and replacements, saving you money. Therefore, cultivate the habit of scheduling grease pumping services regularly to avoid unforeseen drainage issues. If you can't recall when you last called the experts, it's time to consider hiring them for the service.

Don't wait until grease trap problems run out of hand. If you have noticed any of the signs discussed above, it will make more sense to make an appointment with the experts for a professional pumping service.