I get where you’re coming from about the indoor traps—had one in my last place, and honestly, it was a constant battle. Even with regular cleaning, that sour smell just lingered. Drove me nuts. I switched to an underground setup when we renovated, and yeah, it was a pain to install (digging up the yard wasn’t fun), but it’s been way less hassle overall.
One thing I’d add: if you’re going the outdoor route, don’t cheap out on insulation or heat tape. First winter, I thought I could get away with just a basic wrap, and the lid froze solid. Ended up out there with a hair dryer like an idiot. Spent a bit more on proper insulation after that, and haven’t had a problem since.
Honestly, I’d take the occasional frozen lid over that constant kitchen funk any day. The peace of mind is worth the upfront cost, at least for me.
Funny you mention the hair dryer trick—I’ve definitely been there, standing outside at 6am in January, cursing my life choices. Those underground traps are a game changer for smell, though, no contest. But man, if you don’t get the insulation right, the freeze-ups are brutal. I had one job where the lid actually cracked from ice expansion, and it turned into a whole mess with groundwater seeping in.
I do see why some folks stick with indoor traps, especially in older buildings where digging is a nightmare or not even possible. That said, I’ve never found a foolproof way to keep the funk out of a kitchen with an indoor trap. Even the “odor-proof” gaskets don’t last forever. If you’re running a busy kitchen, the outdoor setup just makes life easier—less maintenance, fewer emergency calls. Still, it’s not exactly set-and-forget. Every winter I double-check the heat tape and foam, because once you’ve had to chip ice off a frozen lid at 5 below, you learn fast.
Man, you nailed it with the “not set-and-forget” part. I’ve had my fair share of frozen lids and, yeah, once you’ve chipped ice at dawn, you never skip the insulation check again. I totally get the appeal of indoor traps for old spots—sometimes you just gotta work with what you’ve got. But I agree, nothing beats the outdoor setup for keeping the kitchen air halfway decent. Those “odor-proof” gaskets are a joke after a year or two, honestly. You’re not alone in the winter grease trap struggle.
Title: Choosing Between In-Kitchen and Underground Grease Traps—What Would You Do?
It's funny how you mention “odor-proof” gaskets because I swear, they should just call them “temporary-smell-delay” gaskets. I’ve swapped out more of those than I care to count, and after a couple years, even the best ones start to let that lovely eau de kitchen back into the room. Not exactly what you want when you're trying to keep tenants happy.
I hear you on the frozen lids too. Had one winter where we had an early cold snap, and the outdoor trap lid froze solid right before a big inspection. Ended up pouring buckets of hot water just to get it open—felt like I was defrosting a turkey on Thanksgiving morning. After that, I started wrapping the lids with old moving blankets as a makeshift insulator. Not exactly pretty, but it saved me a few headaches.
Thing is, with in-kitchen traps, at least you’re not battling snow and ice every year. But then you’ve got the constant maintenance inside—one tenant left a mop bucket on top of the hatch once and we didn’t notice until the smell made its way down the hall. That was... not my best day.
Curious if anyone’s had luck with heated outdoor trap lids or any sort of permanent insulation? I’ve seen some folks try those electric heat tape things, but always wondered if that's overkill or just asking for trouble. Also, has anyone regretted going all-in on an indoor setup for an older building? Sometimes feels like there’s no truly “right” answer—just which problems you’d rather deal with.
- I’ve actually seen a heated lid setup once—looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, but honestly, it worked. The owner said it kept the lid unfrozen, but the electric bill made him cry a little every month.
- For insulation, I’ve tried those foam pipe wraps around the rim, but they get gross fast.
- Indoor traps are easier in winter, but man, the smell when someone forgets to clean them… it’s like being slapped in the face with a dirty dish towel.
- I’d rather wrestle a frozen lid than explain to the boss why the whole hallway smells like a fryer.
- There’s no perfect answer, just which headache you want to deal with less.
