FAQ /

How Often Should a Restaurant Grease Trap Be Cleaned?

Most restaurants in the Twinsburg area need their grease trap cleaned every 30-90 days. The frequency depends on your trap size, kitchen volume, and the type of cooking you do. Summit County follows the 25% rule — pump before grease and solids hit 25% of the trap capacity.

The 25% Rule Explained

Summit County Public Health uses the 25% rule as the standard for grease trap maintenance. When the combined layer of floating grease and settled solids reaches 25% of the trap's total water depth, it is time to pump. At that point, the trap's ability to separate grease from wastewater drops significantly, and you risk grease passing through to the sewer line.

During your first service with us, we measure your grease and solids levels and note how long it took to reach that point. That data helps us recommend the right schedule for your specific kitchen.

Factors That Affect Pumping Frequency

Trap size: A 20-gallon under-sink trap fills up much faster than a 1,500-gallon outdoor interceptor. Smaller traps may need monthly service; larger interceptors can sometimes go quarterly.

Kitchen volume: A high-volume restaurant doing 300+ covers per day produces far more grease than a low-traffic deli. More meals means more grease in the trap.

Cooking type: Kitchens that do heavy frying — pizza shops, fried chicken operations, Asian restaurants with woks — generate significantly more FOG than kitchens focused on baking or grilling.

Seasonal variation: Many Twinsburg restaurants see higher volume in summer when foot traffic increases along Darrow Road and the Route 82 corridor. That increased volume may require tighter pumping schedules from May through September.

General Guidelines by Kitchen Type

These are starting points. We adjust based on actual measured levels after your first few service visits.