Underground traps definitely keep the kitchen air a lot nicer, but man, once you’ve had to break up a slab to get at a blocked line, you start thinking twice. I’ve been called out to jobs where the roots had basically woven themselves around the whole trap—took hours just to clear it, and that’s not even counting the cost of patching up the floor after.
- In-kitchen traps are ugly and can stink if folks slack on cleaning, but you can pop them open in five minutes and see exactly what’s going on.
- Underground setups are “set and forget” until they’re not... then it’s a big mess.
- Jetting works, sure, but most kitchens don’t have that gear or want to pay for regular service calls.
I guess it comes down to how much downtime you can handle. Some places just can’t afford to shut down for a day if something goes wrong underground. Anyone actually switched from one setup to the other? Curious if it was worth the hassle.
Title: Choosing between in-kitchen and underground grease traps—what would you do?
Totally get what you mean about the “set and forget” turning into “set and regret” with underground traps. I went the in-kitchen route after my neighbor had to jackhammer half his floor just to get at a clog—his wallet still hasn’t recovered. Yeah, it’s not pretty, but I’d rather deal with a little stink than a surprise renovation bill. My trick: slap a cheap air freshener nearby and set a reminder to clean it every couple weeks. Not glamorous, but my bank account sleeps better at night.
I hear you on the “set and regret”—my cousin had an underground trap and ended up with a mystery puddle in the basement. Turns out, the clog was so deep they needed a plumber with a camera snake and a lot of patience. Not cheap. I went with an in-kitchen trap too, mostly because I like knowing if something’s going wrong before it turns into a full-blown disaster.
Here’s my step-by-step: 1) Accept that it’s not the prettiest thing under your sink. 2) Get some gloves you don’t mind tossing. 3) Schedule a cleaning day—pair it with trash day so you don’t forget. 4) Keep a stash of baking soda and vinegar for the occasional “science experiment” to keep things fresh.
One thing I’m still debating: is it worth upgrading to one of those stainless steel models, or is plastic just fine if you’re on top of maintenance? Anyone tried both and noticed a difference in smell or durability?
“I went with an in-kitchen trap too, mostly because I like knowing if something’s going wrong before it turns into a full-blown disaster.”
That’s exactly why I stuck with the in-kitchen option—way less nerve-wracking than wondering what’s happening underground. As for stainless vs. plastic, I’ve only used plastic so far. It’s held up fine, but I do notice it gets a bit funky-smelling if I slack on cleaning. Does stainless actually help with that, or is it just easier to scrub? I’m always worried about microcracks in plastic over time, especially with hot water. Anyone ever had one fail?
Stainless is definitely easier to scrub down, and it doesn’t seem to hold onto odors as much as plastic. I’ve seen a couple of plastic traps develop tiny leaks after a few years, usually where the threads meet the body—hot water probably doesn’t help. If you’re worried about longevity, stainless might be worth it, but it’s heavier and can be a pain to install if you’re solo. The funkiness is mostly just cleaning frequency though, in my experience.
