MANUEL, SHANNEN DAEHMYL F.
Assignment in MA109
Review of Related Literature
The best way to ensure that plumbing system set-ups delivers its intended
purpose is for school administrators and maintenance personnel to regularly keep an
accurate record of incidents when the kitchen laboratories or facility encounters
problems. A record of all the fixtures and equipment used in the system must also be
taken into consideration. Surveys on the other hand, are deemed useful in gathering
data on the problems encountered by the clients and students using the facility in
relation to he recurring leakage and flooding of the kitchen area, due to the plumbing
and piping system. (Thomas A. Westerkamp, 2005). School Administrators on colleges
specializing on Hospitality related courses must look into these issues in Kitchen, Food
and Beverage Facilities with a keen eye. As these issues add to the plethora of
operational expenses such us water utility and water waste. This issues goes against
the goal of any organization towards a sustainable workplace and business.
Restaurants and bars in the industry setting, rely heavily on plumbing systems,
because it represents an environment where the waste water supply and debris
drainage are of uttermost importance. The biggest part of maintaining top notch
performance and cleanliness standards for your kitchen facilities, food and beverage
preparation areas and pipes include a regular drain cleaning and maintenance. Before
conducting pipe cleaning and maintenance, it is critical to understand why it is
necessary. “Grease traps are the most common plumbing repairs and services for
restaurants. Grease traps are devices that all of your wastewater flows into your interior
or exterior grease trap. Your grease trap separates the fat, grease, and oil from the rest
of the wastewater. It allows the rest of the clean water to flow out while keeping these
types of particles in. The wastewater in restaurants can contain large amounts of solid
waste, due to the involvement of food and oily ingredients. The collected grease will
float to the top while the solids will settle to the bottom of the grease interceptor. Since
grease traps work very hard collecting unwanted food particles, it needs to be pumped
and cleaned out on a regular basis. The frequency depends on the condition of the
traps and how often they are put to work.”(Suburban Plumbing Experts, November
2021).
Sporadically, plumbing is overlooked though it is one of the most important
segment in any kitchen or food preparation facility. According to the Total Food Service,
managers, administrators and users of the kitchen and preparation area must have best
practices on the facility and it’s plumbing. Common problems we see can be from the
cleaning crew. Often, the kitchen users squeegees the water and any debris on the floor
right into the drain, causing a clog. The overflow of water mixed with gloves, food,
spoons, straws, etcetera, causing significant issues within the drain, especially if left for
an extended period. It is highly recommended to get a drain lock installed, so the
kitchen users has to pick up debris and toss it away. We see many plumbing clogs in
the kitchen due to garbage being swept into the drains. We also see many problems up
near the bar area where we see various straws or other drink accessories, creating
backups from tossing whatever is in the glass down the drain with the ice. Hence, it is
important to keep best practices in commercial kitchens and the likes which are used for
academic purposes and training are to keep up with the regular maintenance including
snaking the drains, water jetting once a month at high volume locations.
In terms of keeping your traps clean from grease, to avoid needing to get your
drains pumped every month, the best solution to the common issues is to have your
drains treated. Our treatments keep away odors that come from inside the drain and
break down stuck materials to prevent the lines from getting damaged, limiting you from
having to call a plumber to snake the drain. If grease is allowed to sit in the pipes, the
grease will get moldy, and the pipes will start to rot from the inside. (Best Practices for
Restaurant and Foodservice Plumbing, March 2020).
