Hotel kitchens are the center of the guest culinary experience and play an important role in overall guest satisfaction rates for hotels. Hotel kitchens produce a high volume of food preparation, which also means a high volume of waste. When this leads to clogged drains it can cause kitchen downtime, as well as health and safety hazards. Hydro jetting is a game-changing solution for hotel kitchens in preventing drain blockages.
Here, Northwest Biofuel dives into the importance of hydro jetting and why it should be integrated into regular kitchen maintenance routines.
Why Drain Blockages in Hotel Kitchens are a Recipe for Disaster
Drain blockages in hotel kitchens are more than just a minor inconvenience. A drain blockage can completely disrupt the kitchen’s operations and impact the hotel’s bottom line. If not tended to quickly, a small drain blockage can quickly escalate to a crisis.
Preventative maintenance not only keeps hotel kitchen drains free of clogs, it also prevents the cascade of negative effects, including:
- Kitchen Downtime: A severely clogged drain can bring hotel kitchen operations to a complete standstill. Whether the kitchen serves guests in the hotel’s prized restaurant or is where the continental breakfast is prepared each morning, being closed for business leads to disappointed guests, and potentially loss of revenue.
- Health and Safety: Clogged drains lead to stagnant water, which poses a risk to hotel kitchen staff, as well as guests. Not only does this elevate the risk of slip and fall accidents in the kitchen, but stagnant water is also a breeding ground for bacteria and attracts pests. These are two things no hotel manager wants near their kitchen.
- Financial Issues: The cost of repairing the damage caused by kitchen drain blockages is exponentially more than the cost of maintenance. Clearing the blockage, repairing damaged pipes, and compensating financially for lost business are all factored into the loss associated with clogged drains.
What Causes Drain Blockages in Hotel Kitchens
A hotel kitchen drain blockage usually isn’t caused by one single issue. Instead, it’s a combination of seemingly innocuous factors that contribute to the problem. There are certain cases when a faulty pipe or a single large item or substance leads to a blockage, but this is the exception and not the norm.
It’s important that hotel kitchen managers understand the main contributors to drain blockages and how regular maintenance can help prevent these issues.
- Grease and Oil Buildup: The accumulation of fats, oils, and grease in kitchen drains is one of the main causes of blockages. It’s critical that hotel kitchens have proper grease trap systems and maintenance in place to avoid this issue.
- Food Debris: Large food particles and scraps can cause clogged drains. This is a bigger issue when plates are not scrapped and food is not disposed of properly.
- Mineral Deposits: Hotel kitchens with hard water are more prone to mineral deposits and buildup in their plumbing. This can narrow the drain passages over time and lead to troublesome blockages.
- Poor Drain Maintenance: Regular drain maintenance is critical, and the risk of blockages increases when inspections and maintenance don’t happen on a regular schedule.
Preventing Drain Blockages in Hotel Kitchens
Preventing drain blockages in hotel kitchens requires a multi-level approach. A combination of proper training, adherence to best practices, regular maintenance, and properly functioning equipment are all critical components to preventing drain blockages.
Hotel kitchens should implement and train their staff on a waste management system that highlights the proper disposal of waste, including food, grease, and other debris. Structurally, this involves high-quality grease traps, screens, and regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure optimal function.
Regular maintenance also needs to go beyond the grease traps and include regular drain cleaning and inspection. Preventative drain cleaning is the most effective way to prevent the accumulation of food and debris that lead to destructive blockages. There are several methods that can be used to remove blockages and prevent future problems, however, these methods aren’t all equally effective.
Chemical cleaners and snakes often aren’t enough for preventative maintenance or repair. They may take care of the issue temporarily but fail to address the root cause. For hotel kitchens, hydro jetting is the most effective way of preventing blockages and completely remedying any that currently exist.
The Benefits of Hydro Jetting
Hydro jetting is a technique that uses high-pressure water, jetted into drains to clear blockages and eliminate debris. Compared to other drain blockage remedies, hydro jetting is the most efficient and offers a range of benefits beyond just clearing clogs.
Here are the main benefits of choosing hydro jetting over other methods of preventing drain blockages.
- Effective Blockage Removal at the Source: Hydro jetting thoroughly removes grease, debris, and mineral deposits. Whether the goal is to remove a major blockage or prevent one from occurring, hydro jetting blasts away and eliminates all potential culprits from the environment.
- Long-Term Solution: Because hydro jetting completely clears away debris, it offers a longer-term preventative maintenance solution than other methods, like chemical solutions. With hydro jetting hotel kitchens may be able to go longer between regular maintenance check ups.
- Plumbing System Protection: Hydro jetting is a non-abrasive solution for preventing drain blockages. Unlike snakes, which can scrape or damage piping, hydro jetting doesn’t damage pipes.
- Cost Effectiveness: With hydro jetting, hotel restaurants benefit from fewer maintenance visits, fewer repair costs, and less downtime associated with repairs.
- Environmentally Friendly Solution: Hydro jetting uses only water, eliminating the need for harsh chemicals that eventually make their way into sewage systems.
How Hydro Jetting Works
Hydro jetting is highly effective and works by blasting away debris, grease, and other substances that clog drains and accumulate in pipes. Hydro jetting involves a pump, hose, and nozzle that deliver an extremely powerful stream of water that reaches deep into drain pipes.
High water pressure is the key, with water pressures ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 PSI. This level of intense pressure is capable of dislodging even the toughest and most stubborn of blockages and thoroughly cleans debris from the drain pipes.
Before the hydro jetting process, a skilled technician will do a thorough inspection of the drain to identify the severity and location of any blockages. If there are not any blockages and this is a maintenance procedure, the technician will be able to determine what level of water pressure to use. The technician may also go in after the process to ensure any blockages and debris have been removed.
Hydro jetting is a non-invasive and environmentally friendly solution that removes blockages, cleans drains, and maintains optimal drain health.
Best Practices for Hydro Jetting in Hotel Kitchens
Hydro jetting for hotel kitchens is most effective when it’s used as preventative maintenance. It’s a good idea to schedule regular drain upkeep at intervals of every six to twelve months, depending on the volume of food preparation that takes place in the kitchen.
Prevention is an important word for preventing drain blockages. Hotel kitchen management should ensure that all kitchen staff and supporting staff are properly trained on waste disposal and know how to identify the early signs of drain issues.
When it comes to hydro jetting in hotel kitchens, safety and efficiency are critical. It’s important to ensure a successful and accident-free hydro jetting procedure. This begins by working with a reputable and experienced hydro-jetting provider. Take the time to interview several local services, and check out their reviews. A true professional will conduct a thorough inspection of the plumbing system to identify any issues and weaknesses in the plumbing system before beginning any procedure.
Schedule Preventative Hydro Jetting for Your Hotel Kitchen Drains
Hydro jetting is a highly effective, safe, and environmentally friendly way to remove drain blockages and prevent them from occurring in the future. Schedule an inspection with hydro jetting before clogged drains become an issue in your hotel kitchen. At Northwest Biofuel, we’re your trusted provider of drain cleaning and grease trap services. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.