I hear you on the maintenance headaches. I’ve dealt with both setups in different properties, and honestly, I lean toward indoor traps for most kitchens—especially if you’re renting out to folks who aren’t exactly “maintenance-minded.” At least with an indoor trap, you can check it yourself without breaking out a shovel or calling in a plumber every time something smells funky.
That said, you do have to stay on top of it. I’ve seen tenants ignore the thing for months, then act surprised when the sink turns into a swamp. But here’s the kicker: with underground traps, out of sight really does mean out of mind... until you get a backup that’s way nastier and more expensive to fix. Had one property where we had to jackhammer the patio just to get at the trap. Not fun, not cheap.
If you’re willing to put up with a little regular gunk duty, indoor’s the way to go. Otherwise, hope your tenants are better at calling for help than mine were.
Had one property where we had to jackhammer the patio just to get at the trap. Not fun, not cheap.
- That’s exactly my worry with underground traps—access is a nightmare if something goes wrong.
- Indoor traps are easier to monitor, but I’ve seen folks skip cleaning and end up with a biohazard under the sink.
- Either way, regular checks are key. Curious—has anyone tried those newer automatic grease removal units? Worth the extra upfront cost, or just more stuff to break?
Honestly, the thought of jackhammering up a patio just to get to a trap is my nightmare scenario.
—couldn’t agree more. Once it’s buried, you’re basically crossing your fingers nothing ever clogs or leaks.access is a nightmare if something goes wrong
I get the hesitation with indoor traps turning into science experiments if you don’t keep up with them, but at least you can see what’s going on and fix problems before they turn into disasters. I’d rather deal with a gross smell under the sink than have to rip up concrete.
As for those automatic grease removal units, I looked into them when I redid my kitchen. They sound slick on paper, but it’s just another thing to maintain. More moving parts, more sensors that can fail... and if you’re not running a big commercial kitchen, I don’t really see the point. Manual works fine as long as you actually do it.
Bottom line: I’ll take easy access and regular cleaning over hidden headaches every time.
I hear you on the buried trap nightmare. My neighbor had to dig up half his backyard last year because of a clog—total mess, and not cheap either. I’ve always leaned toward keeping things where I can see them, even if it means dealing with the occasional whiff under the sink. At least you know what you’re dealing with, right? Plus, I try to be mindful about what goes down the drain in the first place, which helps a lot. The high-tech grease units sound cool, but honestly, I’d rather keep it simple and just stay on top of cleaning. Less stuff to break, less waste in the long run.
I get where you’re coming from—having everything out in the open under the sink definitely makes it easier to spot problems early. I’ve had tenants who didn’t even realize there was an issue until water started pooling in the yard, which is a nightmare to fix and way more expensive than just cleaning out a small trap under the counter.
That said, I do wonder about the smell factor. Some of those in-kitchen units can get pretty ripe if folks aren’t on top of maintenance, and not everyone is as careful about what goes down the drain. I’ve tried both setups in different properties, and honestly, the buried ones are less hassle day-to-day if you’ve got reliable folks doing regular pump-outs.
Curious if you’ve ever had to deal with a tenant who just ignores the cleaning schedule? That’s been my biggest headache—no matter how simple I try to keep it, someone always manages to forget.