Commercial grease traps are designed to do as the name implies. When adequately sized and maintained, they trap grease, keeping it from entering the municipal sewer system. Municipalities have codes in place to regulate the amount of grease a commercial business can allow to filter into the sewer system. When too much grease enters the sewer system, the results often include grease clogged sewer lines, damage to pump stations and costly repairs for the local sanitary sewer department. When a municipality finds excess grease in a sewer line, they will trace the cause of the build up back to the source. If the situation is not remedied by the offending establishment within a reasonable amount of time, there may be fines imposed. The establishment may also, usually after a notice and hearing, have their owners permit revoked to operate a food-service establishment on the premises if they continue to create the potential for a sewer backup. Specific regulations and penalties for failure to comply may vary from municipality to municipality.

Grease traps generally range in capacity from 10 gallons to 1,000 gallons or more. If a business is equipped with a small, inside grease trap, we recommend switching to a larger, outside grease trap. Small, inside grease traps require frequent cleaning, are often hard to access and can be a source of foul odor. Many times, they are not adequately effective to keep grease from entering a sewer line. Larger, outside grease traps are generally much more effective. All grease traps require regular pumping maintenance.