Why it matters: the EPA's fact sheet on grease from food service establishments cites an EPA report to Congress that found grease from restaurants, homes, and industrial sources is the most common cause (47%) of reported sewer blockages. A trap that's past full is one of the ways restaurant grease gets there. Watch for these signs.
1. Sinks and floor drains are draining slowly
When grease and solids build up in the trap, or in the line between the kitchen and the trap, water has nowhere to go. A three-compartment sink that takes longer to empty, or a floor drain that holds a puddle after mopping, is often the first sign. If it happens right after the dish machine runs, the trap or line may already be close to capacity.
2. You smell grease or sewage
As FOG and food solids sit in a full trap, they break down and smell. A sour, rotten odor near the dish area, around floor drains, or, worse, in the dining room is a strong signal that the trap is overdue. Don't mask it with air fresheners or by pouring products down the drain.
3. You hear gurgling
Gurgling from sinks or floor drains means air is being pushed back up through the plumbing, which often happens when flow through the trap or the line is restricted. It's an early warning worth acting on before water starts backing up.
4. Water or grease is showing up where it shouldn't
Standing water in floor sinks, grease around the trap lid, or wastewater coming up through a floor drain means the trap has stopped doing its job. That's no longer routine maintenance. Stop running water to the affected drains and see our emergency grease trap service page for what to do right now.
5. The last pump-out found it at or past 25%
The most reliable sign isn't something you smell; it's a measurement. If your provider's last service record showed floating grease plus settled solids at or above about 25% of the trap's liquid depth, your interval is too long. Hancock County's FOG ordinance uses that same 25% wetted-height trigger to require more frequent pumping. Ask for depth readings on every service record so you can spot the trend.
6. You're near your required interval, or don't know when it was last pumped
Check the date on your last manifest. In Biloxi, Gulfport, D'Iberville, Long Beach, and Pass Christian, a generator that goes any 90-day period without cleaning, and without an approved exception, can be ordered by the Harrison County Utility Authority to have its trap inspected and tested, and HCUA's permit checklist says traps must be cleaned at least every 90 days. In Hancock County, the baseline for interceptors is 30 days. If you can't find a manifest at all, for example after buying an existing restaurant, assume the trap is due. More: how often to pump a grease trap in Biloxi and Gulfport.
7. Your kitchen got busier or your menu changed
A schedule that worked last quarter may not work now. Busy seasons, holiday weekends, festivals, and big events on the Coast can fill a trap much faster than a quiet month. So can adding fried items, seafood boils, or a new brunch service. If volume went up, move your next pump-out up too.
Bonus: you got a letter from your sewer authority
If you've received a notice from HCUA, the Hancock County Utility Authority, or your city, schedule a full cleaning right away and keep the manifest. Under HCUA's regulation, fines and penalties run from the date of the Notice of Violation. See HCUA fines and inspections.
What not to do
- Don't pour in enzymes, soap, or degreasers. They can push grease past the trap into the sewer line. Hancock County's ordinance prohibits surfactants, solvents, and emulsifiers in grease interceptors.
- Don't flush it with boiling water. Hot water may move grease out of the trap only for it to harden further down the line.
- Don't let anything be pumped back in. HCUA's regulation bars generators from allowing any discharge by the hauler into the sewer system, including back into the grease trap.
- Don't hose spills toward the parking lot. Grease and wash water belong in the sanitary sewer through the trap, never in a storm drain.
What to do next
- Find your last manifest or service record and note the date.
- Request a full pump-out, not just a skim, from a hauler permitted in your county.
- Ask the provider to measure grease and solids depth and recommend an interval.
- Put the trap on a recurring schedule so it doesn't depend on someone noticing a smell.
Our free quote form takes about two minutes. Pick your city, such as Gulfport, Biloxi, D'Iberville, or Long Beach, and local providers will contact you directly.