UrgentWaste
Kitchen Drain Backing Up
Slow or blocked kitchen drains often trace to a full or failing grease trap. In Southern California, a drain backing up to the floor is a health code violation.
Urgency
Urgent
Service area
Southern California
Dispatch
Within 48 hrs
First steps before the BohPro arrives
Recommended
Stop putting water or waste into the affected drain and contact a licensed plumber or grease trap service provider within the next 24 hours. Document the backup with photos and note when it started, which drains are affected, and when the grease trap was last serviced. If water has reached the floor, restrict the area immediately and notify your manager on duty before resuming any operations in that zone.
The root causes and what they cost you
Cause
What’s causing it
The most common cause is a grease trap that has reached or exceeded capacity, forcing grease and solids back into the drain line. High-volume prep and dishwashing cycles push fats, oils, and food solids into the system faster than the trap can process them. Cold water use compounds the problem by solidifying grease inside the pipes before it reaches the trap. In older kitchens, corroded or undersized drain lines narrow over time and accelerate blockages.
If you wait
What happens if you wait
A backed-up drain that reaches the floor is an active health code violation in LA County and can trigger an immediate inspection or closure order. Standing water in a kitchen creates slip hazards, contaminates food prep surfaces, and shuts down service areas until the line is cleared. Emergency plumbing calls and expedited grease trap pumping cost significantly more than scheduled service, and repeated backups signal a failing trap that will need full replacement if ignored.
Compliance risk if you wait
LA County Environmental Health considers a drain backup that results in wastewater on the kitchen floor a health code violation subject to citation and potential closure.
Symptoms you might see
drainbackupgrease trapplumbinghealth
One dispatch, one licensed tech, one paper trail
Boh routes a vetted, licensed provider to your kitchen. Every visit is documented with before-and-after photos, a service report, and a compliance certificate when the work touches a code class. You never chase a vendor.
Want it scheduled, not reacted to? See Kitchen Coverage plans →
Often seen alongside this one
FOG Violation From the City or Sanitation DistrictGrease Trap OverflowingSewage Smell in Kitchen or Dining Room
Don’t see your symptom? Describe what you’re seeing →