plumbing question

Larry Weingarten

... years ago I worked at a boarding school that had a large kitchen. The drain from the kitchen would clog up with this off white stuff that had the consistency of Ivory Soap. I imagined it was soap/fat solidifying on the pipes as it cooled. The head maintenance guy would run a solid steel rod down the pipe to a man hole and attach a bundle of barbed wire to it. Then using a school bus, pull the wire through the line. We'd get wheelbarrow loads of "soap" out. I'm not sure how that story helps except to point possibly to the grease trap solution and cooling as a way to separate out the goop. It's a fun story too ;~)

Yours, Larry

bob young

plumbing question

any plumbers here or ENGINEERS [Brad ] ever hear of a soap trap or interceptor for a commercial laundramat . soap buildup is causing a huge maintenance problem.

kpc_24

sounds like a grease...

trap tp me. kpc

bob young

soap stopage problem.

no trap or interceptor existing. that is the question. do they make a" SOAP" interceptor . looking for a solution in lieu of routine rodding & jetting.

Brad White_189

I think Kevin has a good idea here...

I do not know of a specific soap interceptor (nor have heard of this problem at all if it is solid residue). Grease and soap are first cousins so the grease interceptor might be worth a try. Water drains out a low point allowing grease (and maybe soap solids) to float while water passes under a baffle. Use Ivory Soap!

I take it that what is happening is a solid residue versus "suds" floating and backing out vents? The latter is dealt with using express risers and lines.

I would also inquire if the soap used is of a low quality with lots of fillers or the tendency to promote cold water washing is not allowing powdered detergents to properly dissolve. Just conjecture as to why this is happening- I never heard of it, FWIW... which does not mean anything really.

My $0.02 anyway...

bob young

thanks Kevin & Brad


i am considering a lint interceptor. but the grease trap is definitely an option. thankx much gentlemen.

mtfallsmikey

Hard water?

With hard water, soaps do not break down as easily as they do with softened water. Any water conditioning equipment in line?