In the last few months, we’ve been called out to local restaurants in Denver and Littleton that have needed plumbing help after years without any plumbing trouble at all. We’ve addressed plumbing problems ranging from clogs in the main drain to flooding in and around drains to grease buildup in pipes. Why the sudden increase in plumbing trouble at these restaurants? Less foot traffic and fewer diners is likely the cause. Keep reading to learn more about how fewer foot traffic in restaurants means more problems with their plumbing.
Many associate increased plumbing problems with more usage, but less plumbing usage can also cause your pipes to have trouble. Fewer toilet flushes, less frequent hand washes, and fewer dishwasher runs means less water pushing debri down the main pipelines. Toilet paper, food and grease need water to lubricate and help them successfully flow through pipes and the regular people traffic flowing through restaurants before Covid-19 government mandates meant more plumbing usage and more water flowing down pipes. As a side note, we’ve seen similar trends in residential Denver plumbing systems due to lack of visitors and company. Especially in guest suites and basements as the plumbing is seeing very little usage in those parts of the house. Some of the tips below are also applicable to for residential plumbing in Denver and surrounding cities.
While the number of customers who are dining inside restaurants has reduced dramatically in the greater Denver metro area, local restaurants are still making food for delivery and takeout. Meaning chefs and cooks are still producing grease and disposing of food without the usual need for dishwashing and restroom visits by patrons. The average commercial dishwasher rinses at 180 degrees fahrenheit. That very hot water, plus soaps and suds help dissolve grease and aid in cleaning pipes to prevent drain clogs.
This intentional hole in the pipe should be clear but you can see grease buildup.
So what do restaurants do to keep plumbing backups and grease build-up in pipes at bay? The first thing restaurant owners can do is encourage staff to run water, flush toilets and use dishwashing machines more frequently when they are working throughout the day. This will help prevent backups as the water pressure helps push things through the pipe and lubricate other solids that are running through the plumbing.
Hiring a plumber to water jet your lines is another tactic that can help prevent grease buildup and clogs that can cause flooding and backups in your restaurant. Water jetting is the process of pushing pressurized water down your pipes to clear out debri, solids and grease.
Water jetting in a Denver restaurant to clear grease buildup.
Another tactic we use is cleaning your sewer lines with our mainline sewer drain cleaning machine. This helps free up debri and prep the lines before jetting with high pressure. If you need a Denver plumber or plumber near you, we are happy to help with jetting your lines and cleaning your drains. Give Drain Terrier a call at 720-999-6120.
