# floor drains to grease trap?



## BSSTG

Greetings

I have always thought that floor drains in restaurants should go to grease traps. In the last year or so I have heard opinions changing on that and that floor drains should not go to the grease traps.

What yall think?

BSSTG


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## mtlogcabin

1003.3.1 Grease interceptors and automatic grease removal devices required.

A grease interceptor or automatic grease removal device shall be required to receive the drainage from fixtures and equipment with grease-laden waste located in food preparation areas, such as in restaurants, hotel kitchens, hospitals, school kitchens, bars, factory cafeterias and clubs. Fixtures and equipment shall include pot sinks, prerinse sinks; soup kettles or similar devices; wok stations; floor drains or sinks into which kettles are drained; automatic hood wash units and dishwashers without prerinse sinks. Grease interceptors and automatic grease removal devices shall receive waste only from fixtures and equipment that allow fats, oils or grease to be discharged.

What is the reason to not require floor drains in food prep areas to connect to a grease interceptor? I can't think of one.


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## BSSTG

Yessir,

I thought it was in there. However, I was lead to believe there may have been a change regarding that or in the next code cycle. I'm not sure of the reasoning though.  Another change I was told about was that individual drains from each section of 3 compartment sinks will be required so that each sink will drain separately preventing cross connection from 1 sink to another. I have had fits with a few folks not using indirect waste drains for kitchen equipment.

BS


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## mtlogcabin

BSSTG said:
			
		

> Another change I was told about was that individual drains from each section of 3 compartment sinks will be required so that each sink will drain separately preventing cross connection from 1 sink to another. BS


How do you get cross contamination with an air gap in the drain?

802.1.8 Food utensils, dishes, pots and pans sinks.

Sinks used for the washing, rinsing or sanitizing of utensils, dishes, pots, pans or serviceware used in the preparation, serving or eating of food shall discharge indirectly through an air gap or an air break or directly connect to the drainage system.


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## north star

*= & = & =*





> " How do you get cross contamination with an air gap in the drain? "


By the drain pipe being in contact with the floor sink itself.FWIW, ...I have actually seen this installed in a few businesses.

*= & = & =*


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## steveray

AIR BREAK (Drainage System). A piping arrangement in which a drain from a fixture, appliance or device discharges indirectly into another fixture, receptacle or interceptor at a point below the flood level rim and above the trap seal.

AIR GAP (Drainage System). The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the outlet of the waste pipe and the flood level rim of the receptacle into which the waste pipe is discharging.

Air gap needs to above the flood rim.....no chance other than massive flooding or installed as air break...


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## BSSTG

mtlogcabin said:
			
		

> How do you get cross contamination with an air gap in the drain?802.1.8 Food utensils, dishes, pots and pans sinks.
> 
> Sinks used for the washing, rinsing or sanitizing of utensils, dishes, pots, pans or serviceware used in the preparation, serving or eating of food shall discharge indirectly through an air gap or an air break or directly connect to the drainage system.


If 1 sink is full, the other 2 are empty, pull the drain on the full sink and it may try to equalize levels in the other 2 before it can drain thereby causing cross contamination. Of course the contamination is from the drain line immediately under the sink where the 3 are tied together and not from the sewer line below the air gap.

BS


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## BSSTG

Another interpretation coming out from a bo in a nearby town is that the last 7 words of 802.1.8 allows direct connection to the drainage system. Phooey on the air gap they say.

"or directly connect to the drainage system."

BS


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## mtlogcabin

I am under the UPC which requires the air gap and does not allow an air break for any floor sinks from a food prep or serving fixture

I would say the IPC is lacking in allowing an air break for a food prep fixture


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## steveray

Go back to the beginning of the chapter....

801.2 Protection. All devices, appurtenances, appliances and apparatus intended to serve some special function, such as sterilization, distillation, processing, cooling, or storage of ice or foods, and that discharge to the drainage system, SHALL be provided with protection against backflow, flooding, fouling, contamination and stoppage of the drain.


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## zigmark

Check with your food services department as well.  I have had ours and theirs vary on this application.  Specifically the direct connection allowance.

ZIG


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## ICE

BSSTG said:
			
		

> Another interpretation coming out from a bo in a nearby town is that the last 7 words of 802.1.8 allows direct connection to the drainage system. Phooey on the air gap they say."or directly connect to the drainage system."
> 
> BS


There was a time when we allowed a direct connection.  We also required that a floor sink or drain be installed downstream and before any other fixture or branch.  That way, if the building drain backed up it was discharged at the floor sink/drain.  We don't allow that now.


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## BSSTG

ICE said:
			
		

> There was a time when we allowed a direct connection.  We also required that a floor sink or drain be installed downstream and before any other fixture or branch.  That way, if the building drain backed up it was discharged at the floor sink/drain.  We don't allow that now.


Now that makes sense too.

 A manager at a local Dairy Queen told me that they had their 3 compartment sink back up which was directly connected. Glad I don't go to Dairy Queen! Yuck. BTW it's fixed now.

BS


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## skipharper

Just a couple of things to mention-first, I would not construe 1003.3.1 to require every floor drain in a commercial kitchen to go thru the grease trap because many of these drains are area drains for washing the floors. IMHO the code says *floor drains* or sinks *into which kettles are drain.* Certainly some floor drains, floor sinks, hub drains do capture grease laden waste and thats for the plan reviewer to determine.

With 802.1.8 I think in VA we amended this one or two cycles ago (currently using 2012) because our health departments want one bowl to be indirect for the sanitize part of the pot washing process. Please note this section still allows direct connect if one chooses such.


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