Signs the trap is overdue
- Floor drains near the dish pit gurgle or seep when the sinks empty.
- A rancid smell lifts from the trap lid during the lunch rush.
- The three-compartment sink takes minutes to drain after a dump.
- Grey water rises in the mop sink when the dishwasher pumps out.
What a grease trap visit includes
- Pop the cover and gauge both the floating fat layer and the sludge on the bottom.
- Check the inlet tee, outlet tee and baffles for cracks or missing pieces.
- Clear the kitchen branch lines feeding the trap with a cutting head or jetter.
- Confirm flow from each sink and floor drain before the lid goes back on.
Big buried interceptors get vacuumed out by a waste hauling truck. Our side is the piping, tees and baffles around that tank, and we can suggest haulers if you have none.
A slow drain is a partial clog telling you where it lives. Ignore it and it becomes a full one at the worst hour.
The rules around grease
York Region and the City of Markham limit how much fat, oil and grease a business may send to the sanitary sewer, and food premises are generally expected to have a working interceptor. Inspections and fines are possible, so check the current sewer-use bylaw terms with the city or region and keep cleaning records on site.
Keeping the line clear between visits
- Have dish staff knock food scraps into a bin ahead of the pre-rinse hose.
- Use sink strainers and empty them each shift.
- Avoid enzyme products that only move grease further down the line.
- Let the measured thickness of the floating layer decide pump-out timing rather than the calendar.
Keep an eye out
- Water standing in the basin a minute after the tap closes.
- Bathtub burping air each time someone flushes.
- Sour smell rising from the kitchen opening.
- The same sink clogging again within weeks of plunging.
Straight from the phone log
What pump-out interval suits a busy kitchen?
That swings with the menu and covers served; a deep-fry operation can fill a small trap within weeks. We measure the grease layer and suggest an interval from what we find.
Could the crew arrive ahead of morning prep?
Often, yes. A six or seven o'clock start leaves the line clean before the cooks clock in.
Ready to get it fixed?
One call, a clear explanation, and work finished tidily before we leave.