Installation decides how well a trap works and how much emptying costs for the rest of its life. The unit has to take the flow from the right appliances, sit where a tanker or an operative can reach it, and be accessible without closing the kitchen. Those three constraints, resolved early, are most of the job.
What discharges into it
Sinks, dishwashers, combi ovens and floor gullies in the preparation area, and not the toilets or the surface water. Connecting a toilet to a grease trap is a classic and expensive error found on older installations.
Where it goes
Under the sink for small units, in a plant area, or below ground outside for larger ones. External placement keeps smell and noise out of the kitchen and makes tanker access straightforward, at the cost of excavation.
Access for emptying
A trap that can only be reached across a busy service area will be emptied badly or at expensive hours. Agree the access route with the contractor before the unit is fitted rather than at the first visit.
What follows the installation
A service contract with an agreed frequency, a record of each visit, and a review after the first few emptyings to set the real schedule. The install is the smaller half of the cost over the life of the unit.
Questions people ask about grease trap installation
Who installs a grease trap?
A drainage or catering equipment contractor, working to the drainage layout. On a below ground unit it is groundworks as well as plumbing.
Does it need building regulations approval?
Drainage alterations can engage the building regulations, and a below ground installation usually does. The contractor should confirm what approval the work needs before starting.
What does a service contract cover?
Scheduled emptying, cleaning of the unit, a record of each visit and the waste transfer documentation. Confirm whether repairs and out of hours callouts are included.