The festive season is the heart of the Irish hospitality calendar. Bookings are overflowing, the till is ringing, and the comforting aroma of roast meat, sticky toffee pudding, and gravy fills the air. However, beneath the bustling atmosphere of every commercial kitchen lies a critical piece of equipment under immense pressure.
We’re talking about the grease trap.
For restaurants, hotels, and takeaways, November to December quickly becomes a plumbing nightmare if FOG management is overlooked. Increased output results in potential risks of blockages, recurring grease trap cleaning costs, and even heavy penalties from Uisce Éireann!
So, let’s find out how you can protect the grease trap during these busy months.
The Unique Challenge of the Holiday Rush
If you hired a grease trap cleaning service during the off-season, you might wonder why you need to do it during busy months. The reason is simple. With Halloween, followed by Christmas and then New Year’s, the holiday rush can cause a lot of problems.
- You’re cooking more meals, using more deep fryers, and generating more wastewater.
- Traditional festive menus are loaded with high-fat items like butter and cooking oil. All of this liquefies in the heat, flows into the drain, and quickly solidifies inside the trap’s cooler confinements.
- Also, the colder it gets, the faster FOG solidifies. It coats the insides of pipes and speeds up the accumulation rate inside the trap.
The Plan to Avoid Sky-High Grease Trap Cleaning Prices
Pre-Book Your Preventive Pump-Outs
This is the most effective action you can take to increase your cleaning frequency before the disaster strikes.
- If you pay for grease trap cleaning costs quarterly, consider booking a pump-out for late November. And also schedule extra service for the first week of January.
- Only use a professional, licensed FOG waste disposal contractor, such as Greaseco. Book well in advance since most contractors will have limited availability during the holiday season.
- Make sure the grease trap is easily accessible. If it’s outside or in a difficult-to-reach spot, clean the path to avoid delays and increased labour costs.
Reinforce Kitchen Best Practices
Your staff are your first line of defence. A commercial grease trap’s cost might vary, but they will all fail if overloaded with solids.
- It’s scrape, not rinse. Re-train your staff, especially seasonal hires, to carefully scrape all plates and cooking utensils into the bin and not the sink. This should include oil residue from leftover sauces and frying pans.
- Never pour used cooking oil down the drain. It’s to be collected in a dedicated, secure container for collection by authorised recyclers.
Proactive Monitoring and Dosing
Remember, the grease trap cost of cleaning is a lot when it’s not done in time. Never wait for the smell or the slow drain to signal a full trap.
- Technically, the trap should be emptied when the FOG layer reaches 25% of the total capacity. While this is difficult to measure accurately, a weekly check is necessary to gauge the accumulation rate. If it’s filling up faster, book an early service.
- If you use an automated biological dosing system, make sure the reservoir is full and the system is functioning correctly. Increased flow might require a temporary adjustment to the dosing cycle to maintain efficacy.
The Compliance Paper Trail
The Uisce Éireann and local authorities are stringent. Also, inspectors have the right to request documentation without notice. Here’s what you need to do:
- Keep all your records organised and keep them clear per the Trade Effluent FOG Licence requirements. Retain all waste transfer certificates, service reports, and maintenance logs in a binder or digital file.
- Ensure all managers are familiar with the particular discharge limits and maintenance conditions established in your FOG Licence. Non-compliance, specifically during a holiday rush, can lead to enforcement notices and expensive financial penalties.
Autumn, winter, and all the festivities they bring are too valuable to the restaurant industry. You cannot risk a plumbing issue during this season, especially when the issue is largely preventable. So, proactively prioritise FOG surge management and grease trap maintenance. Then, you can ensure a smooth, profitable, and compliant holiday season!
