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Houston Quality Hood Cleaning: Grease Trap Cleaning, Pumping and Repair in Houston, TX

Houston wants your grease trap fully pumped at least every 90 days, and an inspector can show up unannounced and ask for five years of manifests. We make that the easy part. Our truck empties the whole trap, not just the floating layer. We walk you through the manifest before you sign it and keep your schedule ahead of the deadline. If we find a cracked baffle or a corroded lid, we fix it on the same visit. [CONFIRM – full pump-outs on own truck, same-visit repairs]

Trap backing up right now?

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Why Houston Kitchens Choose Houston Quality Hood Cleaning for Grease Traps

Permitted to haul in Houston.

[MISSING – City of Houston special waste transporter permit # and TCEQ sludge transporter registration #]

Full pump-outs, every time.

The whole trap is emptied, as Houston requires.

Paperwork done right.

A manifest at every pump-out, and the return copy back to you within the city's 15-day window. [CONFIRM]

Repairs and installs.

Baffles, lids, seams, and new traps. [MISSING – Texas (TSBPE) plumbing license holder for repair/installation work]

Up-front quotes and emergency service.

Itemized before work starts, with emergency calls for active backups. [CONFIRM – emergency availability and hours]

Commercial Grease Trap Services in Houston, Texas

Grease Trap Cleaning and Pumping

We pump the trap completely, scrape the walls and baffles, and check the inlet and outlet before the lid goes back on. You get a manifest showing the trap's capacity and the gallons removed.

Grease Interceptor Service (Outdoor, In-Ground)

Big outdoor interceptors can hold more than one truckload. Texas rules say the trap must still be fully emptied within 24 hours, so we bring the tank capacity your interceptor actually needs. [CONFIRM – truck tank size(s)]

Grease Trap Repair

We fix cracked or missing baffle walls, leaking seams, warped or corroded lids, and clogged inlet and outlet lines. A broken baffle lets grease go straight through the trap, so even a trap pumped on time can fail a sample.

Grease Trap Installation and Replacement

We install under-sink hydromechanical traps and in-ground gravity interceptors, sized to the fixtures that drain into them under Houston's adopted Uniform Plumbing Code. This work needs a plumbing permit. [MISSING – licensed plumber of record; CONFIRM install service offered]

Inspections and Condition Reports

At each visit we check the baffles, tees, lid, sample well and how much buildup there is. Your written report says whether your interval is keeping up or needs tightening.

Build-Outs, Remodels and Relocations

Opening a new spot or moving into a second-generation space? We check whether the existing trap is the right size and condition before you sign the lease, and plan trap placement and truck access early in a build-out.

Grease Trap Service for Every Kind of Houston Kitchen

Restaurants, Fast-Casual and Food Trucks

Fryers, flat-tops and a busy dish pit are what fill a trap. In our experience, a kitchen serving breakfast, lunch and dinner reaches the city's buildup limits well before day 90. A dinner-only bistro may not. Food trucks working from a Houston commissary rely on that commissary's trap, so ask who's responsible for pumping it.

Schools, Hospitals, Hotels and Institutions

Cafeterias, hospital kitchens and hotel banquet kitchens generate grease from several meal services a day. We pump during non-meal hours and work with your facility's check-in and paperwork rules. [CONFIRM]

Property Managers, Food Halls and Shared Traps

In strip centers, food halls and ghost kitchens, one tenant's grease can back up everyone's drains. Houston holds the business generating the waste responsible, so leases should say clearly who pays for pumping and who keeps the manifests. We can set one schedule across the whole property.

Houston Grease Trap Rules: How Often to Pump and What Inspectors Check

Pump at least every 90 days: Every interceptor inside Houston city limits must be fully evacuated at least quarterly, unless the city approves a Notice of Waiver. Source: Houston Code §47-512(b)

Waiver ceiling: 180 days: Even with a waiver, the trap must be fully pumped, cleaned and inspected at least every 180 days. Source: Houston Health Dept. Notice of Waiver form

The 25% benchmark: Waivers require that buildup never exceed 25% of the trap's wetted height (bottom of the trap to the outlet pipe). Busy kitchens can hit that before day 90. Source: Waiver form, §47-512(e); TCEQ model grease ordinance

Full evacuation only: No partial pumping, and no mobile separator trucks that pour water back into the trap inside Houston. Source: Houston Code §47-512(h)

Manifest for every pump-out: Waste can't leave the trap without a completed manifest. Keep copies on site for 5 years. Source: Houston Code §47-502

Permitted hauler: The hauler needs a City of Houston transporter permit and a TCEQ sludge transporter registration. Source: Houston Health Dept.; TCEQ RG-389

FOG permit: Food establishments with a grease trap need a Fats, Oils and Grease permit, renewed every year and posted in public view. Source: Houston Permitting Center

Inspections Are Unannounced

Houston inspects establishments with interceptors routinely and after complaints, with no advance notice. The investigator will ask for your original FOG permit, five years of manifests, any biological pre-treatment invoices, any waiver, and past inspection reports. They may also check your trap, sample well, dumpster and rendering-oil bin. Citations run $250 to $2,000 per violation.

Enzymes and Additives Don't Replace Pumping

Biological pre-treatment is only allowed through a permitted company, and its invoices go in your records. No product replaces the 90-day full pump-out. Think of it like a dumpster: deodorizer makes it smell better, but somebody still has to haul it away.

Outside City Limits, Different Rules

The 90-day rule above applies inside incorporated Houston. Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Pasadena, Baytown and other nearby cities run their own grease programs. We check the rules where your kitchen is. [CONFIRM – suburban permits held]

What Your Grease Trap Manifest Should Show

Check It Before You Sign

Houston's code lists what goes on the generator's part of the manifest: your name, address and permit number, the trap's holding capacity, the date, the transporter's name, permit number and vehicle details, the type and quantity of waste removed, and the disposal site. The Health Department asks you to look in the trap and make sure it's empty and the sample well is clean before you sign.

Keep Both Copies for Five Years

You keep the generator copy on the day of service. The return copy, signed by the disposal facility, must come back to you within 15 days. Keep both on site for five years. That's what inspectors ask for, and an invoice doesn't count. We track return copies so you're not chasing paperwork. [CONFIRM]

Signs Your Grease Trap Needs Service Now

Rotten-Egg Smell

A sulfur smell near floor drains usually means grease and food solids are breaking down in an overdue trap. Houston's heat speeds that up.

Slow Drains and Backups

Sinks that drain slower each week, gurgling pipes, or water pooling at floor drains mean grease is narrowing the line. It rarely fails all at once. It just tends to fail on a Friday night.

Visible Damage

Rust streaks, a warped lid, liquid standing around the trap, or a trap that seems to fill faster than it used to all point to a cracked tank or a failed baffle.

How Our Grease Trap Pumping Process Works

1. Schedule Around Service

We book a time outside your rush, such as late night, early morning or between meal periods, and remind you before your 90 days are up.

2. Pump the Whole Trap

We take out everything: floating grease, wastewater and settled solids. Then we scrape the walls and baffles.

3. Inspect and Report

We check the baffles, tees, lid and sample well, note any damage, and tell you whether your interval is working.

4. Manifest and Disposal

You check the trap and sign the manifest. The waste goes to an authorized disposal facility, and the return copy comes back to you within 15 days. [MISSING – disposal facility]

How Much Does Grease Trap Service Cost in Houston?

Typical range (from the doc, CONFIRM)

Routine pumping and cleaning: $200–$500 per visit, depending on trap size

Minor repair (gasket, clog, lid): from $150

Major repair (baffle wall, structural): $500–$1,500+

New installation: [CONFIRM – the doc gives two conflicting ranges]

[CONFIRM – all prices] Emergency after-hours calls cost extra [MISSING – amount].

What Moves the Price

Trap size and gallons removed, indoor vs outdoor access, how long since the last pump-out, the disposal fees, and whether the visit is scheduled or an emergency.

What to Have Ready for a Quote

Business type · trap size (it's on your last manifest) · indoor or outdoor · date of your last pump-out · any odors, slow drains or backups · your hours

Grease Trap Service Plans for Houston Businesses

Scheduled Pump-Outs

We set your interval at 30, 60 or 90 days based on what we find in your trap, and handle the reminders and the manifests. Multi-location groups get one schedule and one point of contact. [CONFIRM]


Payment and Terms

Itemized invoices that separate labor, parts and disposal. Net-30 is available for established commercial accounts. Installations use milestone payments with a deposit. [CONFIRM]

Serving Houston, TX and Surrounding Areas

Houston Neighborhoods

Downtown · Midtown · Montrose · The Heights · EaDo · Galleria/Uptown · Washington Avenue · the Energy Corridor · Chinatown and Asiatown along Bellaire Blvd

Restaurant Corridors

Westheimer Road · Washington Avenue · Bellaire Boulevard from US-59 out past Beltway 8 · along I-10, I-45, US-59/I-69, the 610 Loop and Beltway 8

Nearby Cities

Katy · Sugar Land · Pearland · Pasadena · Baytown · Spring · The Woodlands [MISSING – confirm radius; each city has its own grease rules]

Grease Trap Service in Houston, Texas FAQs

How often does Houston require grease trap pumping?

At least every 90 days inside city limits (Houston Code §47-512(b)), unless the city approves a waiver. Busy kitchens often need 30 or 60 days to stay under 25% buildup.

What is the 25% rule?

It's a benchmark: grease and solids shouldn't fill more than 25% of the trap's liquid depth. Houston uses it in its waiver criteria, and Texas's model grease ordinance uses it as the trigger to pump sooner.

How long do I keep manifests?

Five years, on site, both the generator copy and the returned copy (Houston Code §47-502(f)).

Who can pump my grease trap?

Only a transporter permitted by the City of Houston and registered with TCEQ. Look for the city decal and the TCEQ sticker on the truck.

Can enzymes replace pumping?

No. Biological pre-treatment needs a permitted provider, and the trap still has to be fully pumped on schedule.

How much does grease trap cleaning cost?

Usually $200–$500 per routine visit, depending on trap size. [CONFIRM]

Do I need a permit to install or replace a grease trap?

Yes. New, replaced or relocated traps need a plumbing permit and inspection in Houston.

What size grease trap do I need?

It depends on the fixtures draining to it (sinks, dish machine, floor drains) under Houston's adopted Uniform Plumbing Code. We size it from your actual fixtures.

Schedule Grease Trap Service in Houston, Texas

Tell us your trap size and your last pump-out date. We'll get you on a schedule that keeps you ahead of the 90-day rule.

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