If you own or operate a restaurant, you likely are legally required to have a grease trap installed. You might not fully understand why grease trap maintenance is important. The less grease that enters wastewater the better for your community. It is true that wastewater gets treated by municipalities, but the presence of grease can complicate the treatment process. It is also likely that improper grease disposal can cause major issues with your restaurant's plumbing system. This can create a lot of issues for your establishment. The following points offer key reasons why grease trap maintenance should be viewed as necessary rather than optional. 

Compliance

If a restaurant is found to be non-compliant, it could face serious consequences. Initially, they might get a warning or sanction and have to clean, repair, or replace their grease trap. Repeated offenses will likely result in stiffer penalties, which could get as severe as mandatory closing or revocation of the business license. You can inquire about the state and local laws to reduce the chances of your restaurant facing compliance issues. A grease collection service is a good resource to use to better understand how to keep your restaurant compliant. 

Sanitary Reasons

Consumers do not want to risk their health by dining at restaurants that have been deemed unsanitary by health officials. Dirty grease traps can cause restaurants to get failing grades. Do not assume that customers will not know about your grease trap maintenance because they are not allowed in the kitchen. Improperly maintained or damaged grease traps can emit foul odors. Smelly grease traps can harbor a variety of pathogens that could make patrons sick. It could eventually lead to foodborne illness through cross-contamination.

Ensure Proper Grease Trap Operation

Even if you do everything correctly pertaining to your grease trap, it could need repairs and not be evident. This means that it might not appear to need to get a scheduled grease collection and maintenance service. Making the mistake of not keeping the scheduled maintenance based on personal observation could result in the unit malfunctioning. Disposed grease volume can fluctuate in some establishments. It might not seem like a trap needs to get emptied. Grease trap maintenance service ensures that all aspects of the grease trap get the proper care. This includes grease collection, cleaning, and repairs. It reduces the chance of important details getting missed. A telltale sign of a grease trap that is experiencing an issue is poor drainage. If the issue is not addressed, contaminated water damage is likely and will require complex clean-up efforts. 

For more information on grease collection, contact a professional near you.