A few years ago Food Grease Trappers was asked by a Hotel Chef to review the plans for a new restaurant being built as part of the Hotel. With our years of experience, we knew the proposed grease traps WERE NOT the right design for the hotels use. For one thing, the traps proposed required a solids interceptor be installed before the semi automatic trap, but were not even a listed part of the installation. More importantly, we knew the design just wouldn’t handle the volume a Hotel kitchen would require. After reporting our concerns to the clerk of the works, I was absolutely stunned by the disrespect we were shown by the engineering firm and plumber who eventually told the Hotel and us that the traps were recommended by the grease trap vendor and they were going to be used. As a further insult, we were informed that until we had degrees we should stick to “sucking grease”. The traps were indeed installed below grade (incorrectly I might add) and as Food Grease Trappers said before they even went into the ground, they have been nothing but a persistent problem for the Hotel with continual overflow and odor problems. To make matters worse, the traps are in a pit that is covered with quarry tile lids that weigh at least 100 pounds.
This happens more than I like to admit. Waste water system designers/engineers rely on Grease Trap/interceptor vendors to submit proposals for traps to meet the requirements for the flow of waste water. They may work just fine at the lab or test facility, but let me just say, there is some real junk on the market that in the real world, your kitchen, do not work trouble free as you require, and all the added ‘features’ will cost you dearly upfront, and for additional service that will be required to keep them working as required by the Health Departments and Waste Water Utilities!
To all of our engineering and plumbing friends, we suggest that you ask Food Grease Trappers about any grease trap specifications BEFORE you commit to the design! We certainly mean no disrespect to you, your companies, or to your grease trap suppliers, but we service hundreds of traps every month and know which ones will work in which kitchen application. They are not one size fits all, and depending on usage, some trap designs are just not appropriate! Trust me when I say your clients will have far better after thoughts of your hard work if Food Grease Trappers isn’t frequenting their facilities trying to solve a problem grease trap!
