[Sesame Park]

Our brick ranch house in the Denver area was built in 1952, and until recently we never knew it had a grease trap. The kitchen sink started running slow and our drain cleaning guy said the grease trap was near full and the best thing to do would be to locate it, (probably just outside the house in the perennial bed, possibly under the front walk) dig down, (through sprinkler lines, etc) and re-route the plumbing to bypass the trap, for a total cost of around $1200 - $1800 and a lot of trouble to repair the damage to landscaping, etc. In case it's relevant, the kitchen drain line goes straight out the front of the house, through the trap (we were told) then connects with the main line before it dumps into the main sewer line in the street.

1. Is it too late to use bacteriological products to digest the grease/sludge or whatever is in there? We would stop using automatic dishwasher soap with bleach and continue to minimize stuff put into the garbage disposal.

2. Are we wasting our time trying this because the grease, etc, already in the trap has solidified over the years and will never break down? If we keep introducing bacteria, will it likely chip away at this buildup until we no longer have a problem?

3. Are we better off just to bite the bullet and go through the hassle and expense of digging up the front yard?

[iamgrowler]

Our brick ranch house in the Denver area was built in 1952, and until recently we never knew it had a grease trap. The kitchen sink started running slow and our drain cleaning guy said the grease trap was near full and the best thing to do would be to locate it, (probably just outside the house in the perennial bed, possibly under the front walk) dig down, (through sprinkler lines, etc) and re-route the plumbing to bypass the trap, for a total cost of around $1200 - $1800 and a lot of trouble to repair the damage to landscaping. In case it's relevant, the kitchen drain line goes straight out the front of the house, through the trap (we were told) then connects with the main line before it dumps into the main sewer line in the street.

1. Is it too late to use bacteriological products to digest the grease/sludge or whatever is in there? We would stop using automatic dishwasher soap with bleach and continue to minimize stuff put into the garbage disposal.

2. Are we wasting our time trying this because the grease, etc, already in the trap has solidified over the years and will never break down? If we keep introducing bacteria, will it likely chip away at this buildup until we no longer have a problem?

3. Are we better off just to bite the bullet and go through the hassle and expense of digging up the front yard?

I'm a strong proponent of getting a second opinion.

Frankly, I'm stumped as to why you would need a grease trap in a residential application.

Get a second opinion and make no mention whatsoever of the first Plumbers diagnosis, opinion and solution.

If the diagnosis is the same, check with your local authority to determine if a grease trap is still required -- If it isn't, re-route the drain to bypass the lard trap and fuggedaboutit.

[speedball1]

"Frankly, I'm stumped as to why you would need a grease trap in a residential application"
My home was built in 1954 and originally had a septic tank. The kitchen sink and washer drains were combined and ran to a grease trap going into the septic tank. The reason for this was the grease and fiber got out into the drainfield and clogged up the holes in the lines. Grease traps were mandatory back then. We used to open them up and clean them out every so often.
Bottom line? If you still have a septic tank then I would clean it up and use it. If you've converted to city sewer, as you say, take Growlers advice and bypass the grease trap and "fuggedaboutit." good luck, Tom

[aquamundus]

I'm a strong proponent of getting a second opinion.

Frankly, I'm stumped as to why you would need a grease trap in a residential application.

Get a second opinion and make no mention whatsoever of the first Plumbers diagnosis, opinion and solution.

If the diagnosis is the same, check with your local authority to determine if a grease trap is still required -- If it isn't, re-route the drain to bypass the lard trap and fuggedaboutit.

I am also the strong supporter of the second opinion as u.

[speedball1]

Frankly, I'm stumped as to why you would need a grease trap in a residential application.

+
If you are in the city. You do not need a grease trap. However, if you're on a septic tank. We always install a grease trap on both the kitchen and the laundry drain lines. . This is done so lint and garbage don't clog up the drain field. All septic systems should be installed with a grease trap. And now you know the reason. Regards, Tom