If you have a commercial kitchen, you should consider putting a drain in the middle of your floor. The drain makes it easier to mop or clean up wet messes. Not sure which drain or grate to select? When choosing your drain, consider keeping the following tips in mind.
1. Opt for Stainless Steel
When choosing your grate, you need a material that can withstand the test of time. Stainless steel drainage grates can be an ideal option. It's naturally corrosion resistant. If an employee drops a heavy pan on the grate or some industrial-strength cleaner, some damage will appear, but then, the oxygen in the air will engage with the stainless steel and create a protective coating if the steel contains aluminium.
In addition stainless steel is also strong. It can handle your kitchen staff wheeling carts, setting boxes or putting other strain on it. If you're concerned about the aesthetics, you can even choose a stainless steel grate that has been coated in a certain colour to match your flooring.
2. Look for Grates That Snap Into Place
Some grates have relatively large holes that let food or debris slip through them. To make maintenance easier, you should look for grates that easily lift up and snap back into place. Then, you can simply remove the grates and clean as needed.
3. Find a Modular Drain Design
Drains come in a variety of shapes and sizes. To ensure you can meet the specific needs of your kitchen, look for a drain with a modular design. That allows you to buy a number of straight pieces, turns, curves and any other shapes you need so that you can put the drain exactly where you want it.
Modular setups also tend to be easier to repair or replace. If one part starts to corrode or gets damaged, you simply remove that part and put in a new one. You don't have to worry about an exhaustive repair to the whole drainage system.
4. Consider Slot Drains
If you don't want to clean the interior of your drains, you can go for stainless steel grates that have very small holes. Alternatively, you may want to consider slot drains. Generally, you can purchase these from the same companies that sell traditional metal grates or floor wastes. They feature a very small line or slot in the floor. It lets water run into it, but debris collects above on the floor.
5. Integrate Filters and Grease Traps
Of course, even with minimal grate openings, some debris will inevitably slip through. Additionally, in commercial kitchens, there tends to be a lot of grease. Grease can splash out of your fryer, it can fling onto the floor from greasy spoons or it can get onto the floor from spilled food. Even small amounts of grease can build up in your drain.
To protect your system from both of these threats, you want filters and grease traps between the floor drains and the outlet for your sewer pipe. If you don't have those components in place, you could face a clog in your sewer system. That can be expensive to repair and lead to multiple issues.
6. Choose a Grate With a Low Profile
In addition to the function of your grate and drain, you need to think about how it looks and its effect on safety. Ideally, you should choose a grate with a low profile. Then, your staff can easily mop over it, and they don't have to worry about tripping and falling over the grate. You can also put anti-fatigue comfort standing mats over low-profile drains without issue.
To learn more, contact someone who specialises in stainless steel floor grates. They can help you find the best options for your commercial kitchen.
