5 Reasons to Choose A Big Dipper Grease Trap

A Big Dipper grease trap is a long-term part of your kitchen’s plumbing, so the choice is worth getting right. If you run a restaurant or any other foodservice business, you probably already use a grease interceptor. If you don’t, clogged pipes, backups into your kitchen, and costly fines tend to show up sooner or later.

Foodservice kitchens in the United States use three common types of grease interceptor. Small passive hydromechanical units are often just called grease traps. Larger interceptors are built from plastic, fiberglass, steel, or concrete. Automatic grease removal devices do the work themselves. Any of these beats nothing. But not all grease traps are equal, and the technology keeps improving.

More kitchens are now choosing point-source interceptors, like our Big Dipper® Automatic Grease and Oil Removal System, to meet their pretreatment needs. Here’s why:

Effortlessly maintain compliance

Point-source interceptors like the Big Dipper grease trap are the go-to option for a wide range of foodservice establishments—from full-service restaurants to school cafeterias—to maintain compliance with local sewer system discharge limits on fats, oils, and grease (FOG).

The Big Dipper® grease trap system is also a popular option for existing establishments that need to revamp their pretreatment procedures to meet updated regulations. The above-ground system is easy to install and doesn’t require major plumbing changes, making it a great bang for your buck.

Avoid blockages

Grease may look innocent in its just-cooked, liquid form. But the fact is, it can wreak havoc on your plumbing and sewer lines once it cools. Grease and food-particle buildup in a building’s plumbing system is a leading contributor to line blockages in the U.S. and abroad.

These blockages can seriously jeopardize normal operations and create health and safety hazards within the facility. Proper installation of a point-source interceptor, like our Big Dipper® grease trap, can reduce or eliminate grease problems altogether.

Keep costs down

Point-source interceptors can be easily cleaned and emptied by employees without a pump truck or special equipment, eliminating the cost of hiring a contractor and the lost time waiting for a pump truck.

Replacement costs are also a factor. Traditional cast concrete grease interceptors break down over time and often need to be replaced after 8 or 10 years. In some places, our innovative Big Dippers have been operating for two to three times as long, with some of our oldest units still holding strong at over 20 years after installation.

Protect your internal plumbing

Even with a high-capacity interceptor, like our Trapzilla®, already in place, a point-source interceptor is the perfect addition to any kitchen. The point-source placement reduces the amount of fats, oils, and grease that enter your pipes, which, in turn, reduces the amount of grease your trap collects.

Perhaps more important, though, is that this also helps prevent build-up and blockages in your plumbing. These blockages can shorten the lifespan of your pipes and lead to messy, costly blockages and backups. A grease interceptor can prevent those emergency calls to a plumber.

For large food service establishments, such as hospital cafeterias, college dining halls or resort hotel kitchens, this can be vital. These kinds of establishments often have significant indoor plumbing that wastewater may travel through before it gets to the grease trap or the local public sewer system.

Ease of use

A Big Dipper® grease trap operates automatically according to preset skim times and frequencies. Grease that accumulates in the grease interceptor can be disposed of in a municipally approved waste container.

Grease traps and grease interceptors are not one-size-fits-all devices. It’s important to understand your individual requirements and restraints, and make the best choice for your business.