Kitchen drain job sheet
- 1Locatefind the interceptor, its cleanouts and every fixture feeding it
- 2Measuregauge the grease cap and settled solids against the unit capacity
- 3Emptyremove grease and solids, scrape the baffles and clear the outlet tee
- 4Clearjet the branch lines from the dish pit and floor sinks to the main
- 5Recordnote the depth found, the work done and the next suggested service date
01Signs the kitchen line is losing
Kitchens rarely clog without warning. Staff usually notice a pattern first:
- Floor sinks that hold water after the dish machine dumps
- A sour smell near the interceptor lid during service
- Slow draining in the prep sink only at the end of the night
- Grease bubbling up at a floor cleanout or into the mop sink
- An interceptor that needs emptying far more often than it used to
| Typical trouble spots | Three-compartment sinks, pre-rinse stations, floor sinks under the line |
|---|---|
| Common fault | Outlet tee or baffle broken, letting grease run straight to the sewer |
| Rule to know | Toronto sewer use bylaw limits fats and oils sent to the sewer; check current terms |
02What we do on site
The interceptor is opened and measured before anything is pumped, so you know how full it really was. We pull the fats and the settled food solids, scrape the walls and baffles, and check that the inlet and outlet tees are whole. A cracked baffle lets grease skip straight to the sewer, which is exactly what the bylaw is written to stop. Then the branch lines are jetted from each fixture toward the main, because a clean interceptor does nothing if the pipe feeding it is lined with hardened fat.
Lids get a new gasket where the old one has gone soft, so the smell stays underground.
03Habits that stretch the gap between visits
A few habits in the kitchen stretch the time between visits far more than any product poured down the sink.
- Scrape plates into the bin before the pre-rinse sprayer touches them
- Basket strainers in every sink, emptied at each shift change
- Fryer oil and pan drippings go in the rendering bin, never a sink
- Avoid enzyme or caustic dumps that just move the grease further down the line
- Put interceptor service on a fixed calendar instead of waiting for a backup
04Timing visits around the dinner rush
A plumber in the middle of a dinner rush helps nobody. We book interceptor service and jetting before the morning prep or after the last ticket, and we tell you how long the sinks will be out so the line can plan.
Questions and answers
What is a sensible pump-out schedule for our interceptor?
It depends on the size of the unit and how much the kitchen fries. A kitchen running fryers all day may need it every few weeks; a common rule is to service it before grease and solids take up about a quarter of its depth.
Can you fix a broken baffle without replacing the interceptor?
Often yes. Many units take replacement baffles or tees. If the body itself is cracked or rusted through, we will say so and explain the replacement options.