Grease Trap Pumping and Cleaning

Commercial kitchens generate fats, oils, and grease (FOG) that municipal sewer systems and septic systems can't handle. Grease traps and interceptors capture FOG before it enters the waste stream—but only when properly maintained. We provide complete grease trap services for restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, and commercial food operations throughout Bexar County.

Why Grease Traps Matter

Fats, oils, and grease solidify as they cool, coating pipes and accumulating in treatment systems. For businesses connected to San Antonio Water System (SAWS) sewers, grease blockages can trigger backups, fines, and costly emergency service. For properties on septic, grease overwhelms the bacterial treatment process and accelerates system failure.

Beyond your own plumbing, FOG accumulation in municipal lines causes sanitary sewer overflows—environmental violations that SAWS actively works to prevent through inspection and enforcement.

Pumping Frequency Requirements

San Antonio and SAWS regulations require grease traps to be pumped before reaching 25% FOG accumulation. Depending on your trap size and grease generation:

• High-volume restaurants (fried foods, large volume): weekly to bi-weekly
• Standard restaurants: monthly to bi-monthly
• Cafeterias and institutional kitchens: monthly to quarterly
• Lower-volume food service: quarterly to semi-annually

Your grease trap size, menu type, and daily cover count determine ideal frequency. We help you establish a schedule that maintains compliance without unnecessary service calls.

Our Service Process

Scheduled Maintenance We pump the trap completely, scrape accumulated grease from walls and baffles, and flush inlet/outlet lines. Each visit includes measurement of pre-pumping accumulation to verify your schedule is appropriate.

Documentation Every pumping generates a manifest documenting date, volume pumped, and disposal destination. We maintain records accessible for health department inspections, SAWS inquiries, or franchise requirements.

Disposal All collected grease goes to licensed rendering facilities or treatment plants. We hold TCEQ transporter registration and follow all waste tracking requirements.

Types of Grease Traps We Service

Under-Sink Traps Small units (20-50 gallon capacity) located beneath three-compartment sinks or dishwashers. Common in smaller operations. Require frequent pumping due to limited capacity.

In-Ground Interceptors Larger concrete or fiberglass units (500-2000+ gallons) buried outside the building. Handle higher grease volumes and pump less frequently. Require excavation access or permanent risers.

Above-Ground Units Prefabricated steel or plastic units common in newer installations and retrofit situations. Often located in mechanical rooms or exterior equipment areas.

Automatic Grease Recovery Units Mechanical systems that continuously separate and store grease. These still require periodic service to empty recovered grease and maintain mechanical components.

Signs Your Trap Needs Attention

• Slow draining sinks in the kitchen
• Grease odors near floor drains or the trap location
• FOG visible in drain lines or cleanouts
• Backup into floor drains or three-compartment sinks
• Failed SAWS inspection or health department citation

Emergency Service

A backed-up grease trap can shut down your kitchen. Our emergency service responds to urgent situations—backups during service hours, pre-inspection emergencies, overflow situations—to get you operational quickly.

Grease Trap Repair and Replacement

Beyond pumping, we handle:

• Baffle repair and replacement
• Inlet/outlet pipe repairs
• Lid and access cover replacement
• Concrete tank patching
• Complete trap replacement when repair isn't viable
• New trap installation for kitchen expansions or new restaurants

Compliance Programs

For multi-location restaurants, franchise operations, and food service management companies, we offer scheduled service programs with:

• Consistent service across all locations
• Centralized billing and documentation
• Compliance reporting suitable for corporate requirements
• Flexible scheduling around operating hours

Pricing

Grease trap pumping costs depend on trap size, accessibility, and service frequency:

• Under-sink traps (20-50 gallons): $150-$250
• Small interceptors (100-500 gallons): $250-$400
• Large interceptors (500-1500 gallons): $400-$700
• Extra-large interceptors (1500+ gallons): $700+

Regular service customers receive preferential scheduling and consistent pricing.

Schedule Service

Need immediate pumping or want to establish a maintenance schedule? Contact us with your trap size and location details for prompt service or a customized maintenance plan.