Professional grease trap and grease interceptor services for restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food service businesses. Installation, cleaning, pumping, and scheduled maintenance — fully compliant with City of North Bay sewer use bylaws.
North Bay Plumbers installs, cleans, and maintains grease traps and grease interceptors for restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and commercial kitchens across North Bay, Callander, and Sturgeon Falls. We size and install under-sink grease traps and in-ground interceptors to meet City of North Bay sewer use bylaw requirements and North Bay District Health Unit food premises standards. Our scheduled maintenance contracts include regular pumping, cleaning, and compliance documentation. Under-sink grease trap installation starts at $500, in-ground interceptors from $3,000, and cleaning services from $200 per visit.
A failing or overdue grease trap doesn't just risk bylaw fines — it can shut your kitchen down. If you're noticing any of these signs, call before a slow drain becomes a health inspection failure.
The right grease management solution depends on your kitchen's size, volume, and menu. North Bay's sewer use bylaw specifies minimum sizing based on your operation — we help you choose the correct unit and ensure it meets municipal requirements.
Compact units installed directly beneath prep sinks, dishwashers, or three-compartment sinks. Rated from 15 to 100 GPM, these are ideal for small cafes, bakeries, and low-to-moderate volume kitchens. They're easier and less expensive to install ($500–$2,000) but require more frequent cleaning — typically every 2 to 4 weeks depending on output. Common in smaller establishments along downtown North Bay's Main Street corridor.
Larger units buried outside the building that handle the full kitchen's wastewater discharge. Sized from 500 to 2,000+ gallons, these are required for high-volume restaurants, franchise locations like Tim Hortons, multi-kitchen facilities, and food processing operations. Installation costs $3,000–$10,000 depending on excavation, size, and site conditions. They need pumping every 1 to 3 months. These are the standard for larger North Bay restaurants and food service chains.
Not sure which type your kitchen needs? We assess your operation — menu type, average covers per day, number of sinks, dishwasher output — and recommend the right size. Getting this wrong means either overspending on a system that's too large, or getting hit with compliance issues because the trap is undersized for your volume.
Every grease trap installation follows a structured process. We size it right the first time so you stay compliant and avoid costly re-work.
We inspect your kitchen layout, plumbing configuration, number of fixtures draining grease-laden wastewater, and your average daily volume. Using this data, we calculate the correct grease trap size per City of North Bay bylaw requirements. Undersizing leads to compliance failures; oversizing wastes money. We get it right.
We confirm your proposed installation meets the City of North Bay sewer use bylaw, North Bay District Health Unit food premises requirements, and Ontario Building Code standards. If permits are needed, we handle the paperwork. You open your restaurant — we deal with the bureaucracy.
We install the grease trap or interceptor with proper inlet and outlet connections, flow direction, accessible cleanout points, and venting. For in-ground interceptors, we handle excavation, bedding, and backfill. Under-sink units are typically installed in a single day with minimal disruption to your kitchen operations.
We test flow rates through every connected fixture, verify the trap is capturing grease as designed, and confirm the installation meets municipal inspection standards. We document everything — photos, measurements, flow rates — so you have records from day one.
We establish a cleaning and pumping schedule based on your kitchen's actual grease output — not a generic recommendation. We set calendar reminders, handle the scheduling, and provide service records that demonstrate bylaw compliance. Most North Bay restaurants go on monthly or bi-monthly service.
North Bay's food service industry has specific grease management requirements driven by municipal bylaws, health unit regulations, and the local business landscape. We work with restaurants and commercial kitchens across the city every week.
North Bay's downtown commercial corridor along Main Street is home to dozens of restaurants, pubs, and cafes — many in older buildings with aging plumbing. These establishments often need grease trap retrofits to meet current bylaw standards. Space constraints in downtown kitchens typically call for compact under-sink units. We install and maintain grease traps for independents and franchises throughout the downtown core.
The City of North Bay sewer use bylaw requires all food service establishments to install and maintain grease interceptors that prevent fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from entering the municipal wastewater system. Non-compliance can result in fines, mandatory remediation, and orders to cease operation. We size every installation to bylaw specifications and provide the maintenance documentation the city requires during inspections.
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit inspects food premises and includes grease management as part of their food safety assessments. Proper grease trap installation and documented maintenance records are part of maintaining your food premises licence. We provide detailed service records with every cleaning — date, volume pumped, condition of baffles, and any issues flagged — so you're always inspection-ready.
North Bay's tourism season — driven by Lake Nipissing, the waterfront, and events at the Capitol Centre — creates massive volume spikes for restaurants from May through October. Grease traps that handle off-season volume fine can overflow during summer tourist rushes. We adjust cleaning schedules seasonally and recommend interceptor sizing that accounts for peak-season output, not just average daily volume.
Grease trap costs vary significantly based on the type of system, your kitchen's volume, and whether it's a new installation or a retrofit. Here's what to expect.
Under-sink grease trap installation typically costs $500 to $2,000, depending on the trap size and plumbing modifications required. In-ground grease interceptors for larger commercial kitchens range from $3,000 to $10,000, including excavation and connection to the municipal sewer system. We provide an upfront quote after a site assessment.
Most commercial grease traps in North Bay need cleaning every 1 to 3 months, depending on kitchen volume and the type of food being prepared. High-volume restaurants on Main Street or the downtown corridor may need monthly service. The City of North Bay sewer use bylaw requires grease traps to be maintained so they don't exceed 25% capacity. We set up scheduled maintenance to keep you compliant.
Yes. The City of North Bay sewer use bylaw requires all food service establishments to install and maintain grease interceptors to prevent fats, oils, and grease from entering the municipal wastewater system. This applies to restaurants, cafes, bakeries, catering kitchens, and any commercial food preparation facility. The North Bay District Health Unit also inspects grease management as part of food premises requirements.
Under-sink grease traps are small units (typically 15–100 GPM) installed directly under prep sinks or dishwashers. They work well for small cafes and low-volume kitchens. In-ground grease interceptors are larger units buried outside the building that handle the entire kitchen's wastewater output. High-volume restaurants, franchise locations, and commercial kitchens with multiple discharge points typically need in-ground interceptors.
An unmaintained grease trap leads to sewer line blockages, foul odours in your restaurant, potential sewage backups into your kitchen, and bylaw fines from the City of North Bay. Grease that enters the municipal sewer system causes fatbergs and damages wastewater treatment infrastructure. Regular maintenance is significantly cheaper than emergency clearing, pipe repair, or municipal penalties.
Yes. We offer scheduled maintenance contracts that include regular pumping, cleaning, inspection, and documentation for your records. Most North Bay restaurants choose monthly or bi-monthly service. We handle the scheduling so you never miss a cleaning — and we provide service records that demonstrate bylaw compliance if the city requests documentation.