Grease and oil are very common in kitchens across the world, and are used in the preparation of thousands of different dishes. While they’re great for serving up all sorts of tasty foodstuffs, disposing of grease and oil tends to get a bit problematic. Though both materials are liquid when being used to cook, once they cool they congeal into a viscous, semi-solid state. This can present a huge problem for your plumbing system. Let’s take a look at how grease and oil can affect your plumbing system, and how grease traps can mitigate those effects.
The Effects of Grease and Oil on Plumbing
The plumbing system in your home, including your kitchen, is really only designed to handle liquid waste running through it. There are a couple of exceptions, like your toilet or the garbage disposal. However, the garbage disposal isn’t really suited to handle grease and oil any better than a regular kitchen drain. The problem is that the garbage disposal is supposed to render solid waste into small enough pieces that they can be washed down to the sewer. When oil and grease are poured down the disposal, however, they are already viscous liquids. This allows them to stick to the blades of the garbage disposal, as well as the walls of the drain pipe. Then, they harden into a type of muck that can gum up the disposal and clog the drains. This is why you should install a grease trap.
The Grease Trap and Its Benefits
A grease trap is a device that is designed to collect grease, oil, and any other materials that may cause problems if allowed to enter the sewage disposal system. They come in a variety of sizes, from individual kitchen models to one’s large enough to serve entire restaurants. For your own home, it’s best to consult a professional to determine the right size for your needs. As oil and grease are washed down the drain, they are collected in the grease trap instead of solidifying on the walls of the pipes. Once the grease trap fills up to a certain capacity, it must be removed and cleaned.
If you don’t have a grease trap installed in your kitchen yet, call My Drain Company. We install grease traps and offer other quality plumbing services in the Glendale area.
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