Grease Trap Problems

[Josias]

Can anyone offer any clues?

We have an old grease trap in a building, and when I cleaned the trap recently (first time in over 15 yrs!) I found that the concrete dividing walls in the trap were breaking down!?! (Basically crumbled in my hands.)

The old "kitchen" is mainly used to prepare meals for dogs. So there is grease residue from the meats. But not a lot else happens in that sink.

Someone has been putting caustic soda down the drain once a week for the last year to try to keep the drains clear.

Has the caustic soda eaten away at the concrete? Any ideas?

Jo

 

[Agile]

This sounds like a VERY old installation.

Surely its time to properly modernise it with plastic plumbing components?

Tony

 

[sime10]

Did it stink I have thrown up many times cleaning out grease traps

 

[noseall]

restaurant grease traps.........uuuurrrrrggggghhhhhh!

makes me gag thinking about them.

 

[Nige F]

Grease Digesters are the modern way enzyme dosing ...........Wade make a range , among others

 

[Nige F]

 

[Softus]

Surely its time to properly modernise it with plastic plumbing components?

Heaven forfend! Surely copper is the only proper material to be using?

 

[Josias]

Thanks for all the posts guys!

Yes, very old installation. I think the house is crica 1960.

No, I don't want to replace the plumbing. ... I want to replace the building!!! (Not worth spending good money on it!)

Yes, it did stink ... and I had to clean it out by hand!!! Ick! Fortunately I have very little sense of smell, so it wasn't that bad.

BUT ... still not sure what ate away at the concrete? Any ideas?

Jo

 

[BoxBasher]

Heaven forfend! Surely copper is the only proper material to be using?

Copper drains eh? Now thats a good one...

 

[JohnD]

Look out!

We don't want another copper vs. plastic thing.

 

[Softus]

At long last - someone who knows how to abbreviate the word 'versus'.