Restaurant Drain Service
Restaurant drain cleaning for kitchen grease lines, floor drains, trench drains and restrooms, with 24/7 response across Philadelphia restaurant corridors.
Restaurant Drain Service details
Commercial drain and plumbing
Grease Trap Cleaning in Philadelphia
A full grease trap means slow sinks, kitchen odors and a sewer line that clogs at the worst time. We clean grease traps and interceptors on a schedule that fits your kitchen.
Open 24/7Emergency drain service
Camera ProofSee inside your line
Fully Insured7 years in business
Upfront PricingQuote before work starts
Quick answer: Most restaurants need grease trap cleaning every one to three months, and busy kitchens with fryers may need it more often. A common rule of thumb is to clean before grease and solids fill about a quarter of the trap. We measure the layers on each visit and set a schedule based on your actual kitchen volume.
Every commercial kitchen sends fats, oils and grease down the drain. The grease trap or grease interceptor is there to catch it before it reaches your sewer line and the city system. As grease and food solids fill the trap, it stops separating well, odors build up and grease escapes downstream where it hardens in the pipe. Fullerton Plumbing provides grease trap cleaning, grease trap pumping and grease interceptor cleaning for restaurants, cafes, bakeries, food trucks with commissaries, schools and institutional kitchens across Philadelphia and the suburbs.
We handle small under sink grease traps and larger in ground interceptors. We remove the grease layer, food solids and settled sludge, scrape the walls and baffles, check the inlet and outlet for blockages, and note anything worn or damaged. When the line leaving the trap is coated with grease, we hydro jet it so the kitchen drains freely again. Our grease trap service can run on a regular schedule so you are not caught short on a Friday night, and we keep a written record of each cleaning for your files. You get an upfront quote before work starts.
Know the warning signs
Signs Your Grease Trap Needs Cleaning
- Kitchen sinks and floor drains are draining slowly.
- A rancid or sewer smell around the dish area or trap lid.
- Grease or water seeping up around the trap or a floor drain.
- It has been longer than your usual pumping interval.
- Gurgling from kitchen drains during heavy dish washing.
- The line downstream of the trap has clogged recently.
What is included
What Our Grease Trap Cleaning Service Covers
- Grease trap cleaning for under sink and point of use traps
- Grease trap pumping and grease interceptor cleaning
- Removal of grease, food solids and sludge
- Inspection of baffles, inlet, outlet and lid
- Hydro jetting of kitchen grease lines when needed
- Written service record for each visit
How it works
Our Grease Trap Cleaning Process
Inspect the Trap
We open the trap or interceptor and check how full it is, measuring the grease layer and solids. That tells us whether your current schedule is working. We also look at the baffles, inlet, outlet and lid for damage or blockages that affect how well the unit separates grease.
Pump and Clean
We remove the floating grease, the water and the settled solids, then scrape down the walls and baffles so the unit starts clean. Smaller traps are cleaned by hand. Larger in ground interceptors are pumped. Waste is handled and hauled away for proper disposal, not poured down another drain.
Clear the Lines
A clean trap does not help if the pipe after it is coated with grease. When kitchen lines are slow, we hydro jet the inlet and outlet lines and the run to the main so grease does not keep building up downstream and backing up your floor drains.
Set a Schedule
Based on how full the trap was and how busy your kitchen is, we recommend a cleaning interval and record the visit. Regular service keeps the trap working, protects your sewer line and gives you records to show if anyone asks about your grease management.
Philadelphia plumbing
Why Grease Trap Service Matters for Philadelphia Kitchens
Philadelphia has one of the densest restaurant scenes on the East Coast, and many of those kitchens sit in buildings that are a century old. A cheesesteak shop in South Philly, a dim sum kitchen in Chinatown or a brunch spot in Fishtown may be running heavy grease through cast iron and clay pipe laid long before anyone thought about commercial cooking. Those old lines catch grease faster, and a clog in a shared building lateral can affect neighbors too. A grease trap that is cleaned on time is the cheapest protection the kitchen has.
The Philadelphia Water Department has rules on fats, oils and grease from food service businesses, generally covering grease control equipment, maintenance and record keeping. Requirements can change, so check PWD's current guidance for your business. Our part is keeping your trap clean, your lines clear and your service records in order.
Pricing
What Affects the Cost of Grease Trap Cleaning
Cost depends mostly on the size and type of the unit. A small under sink grease trap takes less time than a large in ground grease interceptor that has to be pumped. How full the trap is, how long since its last cleaning, and how hard it is to reach also matter. Hydro jetting kitchen lines, after hours service and repairs to baffles or lids add to the total. Regular scheduled service usually costs less per visit. We give you an upfront quote before any work starts.
Call (518) 776-7838 for an upfront quote. We answer 24/7 and explain the price before any work starts.
Real photos from our jobs
Recent Drain and Sewer Jobs
No stock photos here. These are our own technicians, our own equipment and real repairs.
Local service
Grease Trap Cleaning Near You
We provide grease trap cleaning across Philadelphia and Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties.
FAQ
Grease Trap Cleaning Questions, Answered
Most restaurants need grease trap cleaning every one to three months, and busy kitchens with fryers may need it more often. A common rule of thumb is to clean before grease and solids fill about a quarter of the trap. We measure the layers on each visit and set a schedule based on your actual kitchen volume.
A grease trap is usually a smaller unit inside the kitchen, often under or near the sink, that is cleaned by hand. A grease interceptor is a larger tank, often in ground or outside the building, that handles more flow and is pumped. Both separate fats, oils and grease from wastewater before it reaches the sewer.
Pumping the trap and clearing the lines are separate jobs, but we often do both on the same visit. If kitchen sinks or floor drains are slow, grease has likely coated the pipe before or after the trap. We hydro jet those lines so the trap and the drains work together.
Keeping records is a smart practice for any food service business. The Philadelphia Water Department has fats, oils and grease requirements that generally include maintaining grease control equipment and documenting service. We provide a written record after each grease trap service. Check PWD's current guidance for the exact rules that apply to your business.
An overdue grease trap stops separating well. Grease passes into the sewer line and hardens, causing slow drains, odors and backups through kitchen floor drains, often during a dinner rush. It can also cause problems in the public sewer. Regular grease trap service is far cheaper than an emergency shutdown.
Related services
Related Services
Hydro Jetting
High pressure water jetting that scours grease, roots and scale from sewer and drain lines, leaving the pipe walls clean.
Hydro Jetting details
Preventive Drain Maintenance
Scheduled hydro jetting and sewer camera programs that keep commercial and multifamily drains in Philadelphia flowing before they back up.
Preventive Drain Maintenance detailsNeed grease trap cleaning today?
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