Commercial Kitchen Plumbing: What Every NVC Restaurant Owner Needs to Know
NVC's food scene is booming — and every restaurant depends on plumbing that meets code, handles volume, and never fails during service. Here's what matters.
Grease Traps
NVC code requires grease interceptors for all commercial kitchens. They must be sized for your fixture count and flow rate, and they must be pumped regularly. A neglected grease trap is the number one cause of commercial drain failures — and health department citations.
- Interior grease traps: pump monthly
- Exterior grease interceptors: pump quarterly
- Keep pumping records — inspectors ask for them
Backflow Prevention
Every commercial kitchen connection to the NVC water supply must have an approved backflow prevention device. This protects the public water supply from contamination. Annual testing is required by code, and Vitale Plumbing is a certified backflow tester.
Hot Water Demand
Commercial kitchens use significantly more hot water than residential spaces. Three-compartment sinks, sanitizing rinses, and high-volume dishwashers all demand consistent 140°F+ water. Undersized water heaters are a common problem in NVC restaurants — especially those converted from retail spaces.
Floor Drains and Drainage
Proper floor drainage prevents standing water, which is both a safety hazard and a code violation. Floor drains must be trapped, primed, and connected to the waste system correctly. Dry traps let sewer gas into the kitchen — a problem Marco sees in at least one NVC restaurant a month.
Pre-Opening Plumbing Checklist
Before you open (or renovate) an NVC restaurant, you need: grease trap properly sized and installed, backflow preventer tested and certified, hot water capacity verified for your menu volume, floor drains in all required locations, and three-compartment sink plumbed to code.
Opening a restaurant in NVC? Call Marco for a pre-opening plumbing assessment. He's plumbed half the kitchens on Trades Blvd.