JMJ Plumbing provides commercial grease trap replacement services designed to keep your kitchen operating smoothly and in compliance. A failing or undersized grease trap can lead to backups, unpleasant odors, and costly compliance issues. We replace grease traps and related piping, ensure proper connections and venting where required, and configure the system for easy servicing and maintenance access. The result is improved flow, fewer kitchen disruptions, and a setup that’s easier to maintain and keep compliant.
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Signs Your Grease Trap Needs Repair or Replacement
A grease interceptor is the one piece of kitchen equipment that costs you nothing until it fails, and then it costs you the dining room. These are the signs it is due for attention.
- A sewer or rancid odor in the kitchen or dining area — the trap is overloaded, the flow control is missing, or a baffle has failed and grease is sitting where it should not be
- Slow drainage at the three-compartment sink or floor sinks — grease has accumulated past the trap and is coating the inside of the branch line
- Grease or wastewater surfacing at floor drains — the interceptor or the line downstream of it is blocked, which is the last warning before a full backup during service
- Standing water, seepage, or soft ground around an in-ground interceptor — the tank, the risers, or the inlet and outlet connections have cracked or separated
- A corroded, warped, or leaking trap body or lid — steel undersink units rust from the inside out, and a failed lid gasket lets both odor and grease escape
- Missing or broken baffles, tees, or flow control fitting — without them the unit no longer separates grease at all, even though it looks intact from the outside
- Inspection findings or hauler reports showing the unit is not performing — grease is carrying over into the sewer, which puts the property on the wrong side of the local FOG program
Undersink Traps, In-Ground Interceptors, and Local FOG Requirements
Most food service properties have one of two arrangements. A small undersink or point-of-use trap sits close to the fixture, handles a limited flow rate, and needs frequent cleaning. A larger in-ground or outdoor gravity interceptor serves the whole kitchen, holds far more grease, and is pumped by a licensed hauler on a schedule. The right unit for a kitchen depends on fixture count, flow rate, and what the local jurisdiction will approve.
| Undersink / point-of-use trap | In-ground gravity interceptor | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | A single sink or small prep area, limited menu | Full commercial kitchen with multiple fixtures |
| Capacity | Low, fills quickly under real production | High, sized to kitchen flow |
| Service | Frequent manual cleaning, often by kitchen staff | Pumped by a licensed hauler with a manifest |
| Common failures | Corroded body, lost baffle, missing flow control, undersized for the load | Cracked tank or risers, failed inlet or outlet tee, separated connections, damaged lid |
| Repairability | Often replaced rather than repaired | Many components can be repaired without replacing the tank |
Cleaning frequency, record keeping, and the required interceptor size are governed by the local jurisdiction’s FOG program, and the specifics differ from one authority to the next. Some require a fixed pumping interval, others use a percentage-of-capacity rule, and most expect the property to keep service records available for inspection. We work to the requirements that apply to your address rather than a generic rule of thumb, and we can coordinate with your pumping contractor so repairs and cleanings do not collide.
Our Grease Trap Repair and Replacement Process
- Assess the unit and the kitchen it serves — we look at the existing interceptor, the fixtures connected to it, the flow rate, and the service history to understand whether the unit is failing or simply undersized
- Inspect the internals and the connected lines — baffles, tees, flow control, lid and gasket, tank and riser condition, plus a camera look at the branch line when grease has clearly carried past the trap
- Lay out repair versus replacement — a failed baffle, tee, lid, or connection is usually repairable; a corroded body, a cracked tank, or a unit too small for current production is not
- Handle sizing, permits, and coordination — replacement sizing and permitting follow the local FOG and plumbing requirements, and we coordinate with your hauler so the unit is pumped before work begins
- Complete the work on your schedule — kitchen work happens after close or before prep whenever possible, so the line is back in service before the next shift
- Test, document, and set the maintenance interval — we verify separation and flow, document what was done for your compliance file, and recommend a cleaning and inspection schedule that fits your volume
Grease Trap Service Across North Metro Atlanta
JMJ Plumbing has worked on commercial kitchens across North Metro Atlanta since 1996, from single-location restaurants to franchise groups, cafeterias, and food service inside larger buildings. We serve Acworth, Alpharetta, Canton, Cumming, Dunwoody, Hickory Flat, Holly Springs, Johns Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta, Milton, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Woodstock, and the surrounding communities. Grease problems rarely stop at the interceptor, so see our commercial hydrojetting page for lines already coated with grease, and our floor drain and floor sink service when kitchen drainage is backing up at the floor. Ongoing kitchens are best served by our preventative maintenance program.
Grease Trap Repair and Replacement FAQs
How often does a commercial grease trap need to be cleaned?
That is set by your local FOG program, and it varies by jurisdiction. Small undersink traps often need cleaning weekly or more under real production, while in-ground interceptors are typically pumped on a fixed schedule or when grease and solids reach a set percentage of capacity. Most authorities also expect you to keep service records on site.
Can a grease trap be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
Many can be repaired. Baffles, inlet and outlet tees, flow control fittings, lids, gaskets, and inlet or outlet connections are all serviceable. Replacement is the right call when the body is corroded through, an in-ground tank is cracked, or the unit is simply too small for the kitchen it now serves. We tell you which situation you have.
Why does our kitchen smell like sewage even after cleaning?
Usually the interceptor is not sealing or not separating. A failed lid gasket, a missing baffle, an overloaded trap, or a dry floor sink trap all let odor into the kitchen no matter how clean the surfaces are. Grease that has already carried past the trap and is coating the branch line produces the same smell.
What size grease interceptor does our kitchen need?
Sizing depends on fixture count, drainage flow rate, and the local jurisdiction’s requirements, which is why two similar kitchens can require different units. An undersized interceptor is the most common problem we find, because it cannot hold grease long enough to separate. We calculate the size before recommending any replacement.
Do we need a permit to replace a grease interceptor?
In most jurisdictions, yes, and larger in-ground installations often require plan review as well. Requirements come from both the plumbing code and the local FOG program, and they differ by authority. We confirm what applies at your address and handle the permitting rather than leaving you to sort it out mid-project.
What happens if we fail a health or FOG inspection?
You are typically given a correction period and expected to document the fix. The practical risk is not the inspection itself but what caused it, since a failing interceptor is usually already sending grease into the sewer line. Correcting the unit, cleaning the affected lines, and keeping service records is what closes it out.
Does hydrojetting a line replace grease trap pumping?
No. Jetting cleans the inside of the drain line, and pumping removes accumulated grease and solids from the interceptor. They solve different problems, and a kitchen with heavy grease usually needs both on a schedule. Jetting a line while leaving an overloaded interceptor in place means the line coats over again quickly.
Can grease trap work be done while we are closed?
Yes, and that is how we prefer to do it. Interceptor repairs and replacements are scheduled after close or before prep so the kitchen is back in service for the next shift. We coordinate the pumping with your hauler ahead of time so the unit is empty and ready when we arrive.
Grease backing up or an interceptor past its life? Book grease trap repair or replacement online, or call JMJ Plumbing at (770) 966-9654. We are a Georgia Master Plumber licensed and insured company (MP210296) serving North Metro Atlanta commercial kitchens since 1996, with 24/7 emergency service when a backup threatens service. Financing is available through GreenSky.