Grease Trap
Grease Trap | Commercial Plumbing | Plumbing | Louisville
From bustling Bardstown Road bistros to massive downtown hotels, Louisville kitchens rely on clean, compliant grease traps to keep business flowing. HEP’s certified team designs, installs, and maintains systems that capture fats, oils, and grease before they clog lines or trigger costly shutdowns. We handle everything— sizing the right trap, scheduling EPA-approved pump-outs, and filing the paperwork your health inspector loves—so you can stay focused on serving customers, not scrambling over backups.
Choosing HEP means 24/7 emergency response, transparent pricing, and technicians who know local codes as well as they know copper and PVC. Whether you’re opening your first food truck or managing a multi-site franchise, our commercial plumbing expertise keeps your operation sanitary, sustainable, and always in good standing with the city. Call today and let Louisville’s most trusted pros take the mess out of your grease trap worries.
FAQs
Why is a grease trap mandatory for commercial kitchens in Louisville?
Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness requires any facility that prepares food for public consumption—restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, grocery stores, and similar operations—to install and maintain an approved grease trap or interceptor. The device prevents fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from entering the municipal sewer system, which can cause blockages, overflows, and expensive fines. Failing to comply may result in citations, penalties, or even closure until the violation is corrected.
How often should my commercial grease trap be pumped or cleaned?
Most Louisville food-service establishments find that cleaning every 30 to 90 days keeps them in compliance with the city’s 25 percent rule (when FOG and solids occupy 25 % of the trap’s liquid depth, it must be serviced). The exact frequency depends on kitchen size, menu, cooking volume, and whether a garbage disposal is used. Our technicians measure FOG levels during each visit and can establish a tailored maintenance schedule that meets local ordinance requirements and minimizes down-time.
What are the warning signs that my grease trap needs immediate service?
Common red flags include slow-draining sinks, foul odors near floor drains, gurgling noises in plumbing lines, and grease backups into kitchen fixtures. You may also notice grease slicks on parking lot drain grates or an unexpected visit from a city inspector after a sewer complaint. Calling for prompt pumping and hydro-jetting as soon as these symptoms appear helps you avoid costly emergency repairs and health-code violations.
Is there a difference between grease trap cleaning and grease trap pumping?
Yes. Pumping removes the accumulated FOG and wastewater from the trap or interceptor using a vacuum truck. Cleaning (sometimes called scraping or jetting) involves thoroughly washing internal baffles, walls, and inlet/outlet pipes to remove hardened grease and food solids. A complete service should include both steps plus a compliance report containing FOG levels, disposal manifest, and any maintenance recommendations.
Do you offer 24/7 emergency grease trap service for Louisville businesses?
Absolutely. Grease emergencies don’t follow business hours, so our licensed technicians are on call day and night—including holidays—to handle blockages, overflows, or unexpected inspections. Our crews arrive with fully equipped vacuum trucks, hydro-jetters, and replacement gaskets or gaskets to restore safe operation quickly and limit kitchen downtime.
Can you help with new grease trap installations or upgrades to meet current codes?
Yes. We provide end-to-end solutions: sizing calculations based on Louisville/Jefferson County Building Code, CAD drawings for permit submission, trenching and concrete work, interceptor installation (above-ground or buried), and post-installation inspection coordination. If your existing trap is undersized or deteriorating, we can retrofit a larger, code-compliant unit and reroute plumbing with minimal disruption to your business.