Self-Washing Floor Trough – Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the benefits I can expect from my Self-Washing Floor Trough?
A: Your Self-Washing Floor Trough will dramatically clean up your kitchen, improve sanitation, reduce slip-and-fall accidents, reduce odors, eliminate food being tracked all throughout your establishment, eliminate rubber mats, save you labor, reduce your water and sewer expenses.
Q: How will an ammoniated floor cleaner affect the Self-Washing Floor Trough stainless steel?
A: Ammoniated cleaning solutions if properly diluted will not negatively affect the stainless steel. In fact, this compound was developed to penetrate and dissolve dirt, oil, grease, and grime from many surfaces, including stainless steel, with ease. See data under the downloads section of Sani-Floor web site.
Q: Does the Self-Washing Floor Trough use hot or cold water?
A: The Self-Washing system is designed to operate with cold water. There is a bladder within the pressure tank that has maximum liquid temperature rating of 120º F (49º C). If you are concerned about cutting grease that you may have in a particular area of your operation, an optional degreasing system is available from Sani-Floor.
Q: If I use the Sani-Floor degreasing injectors, how will the degreasers going into my grease trap affect my grease trap?
A: This optional Sani-Floor system uses a 16ppm mixture of soda ash and citric acid to break down the grease. This small amount should not affect your grease trap.
Q: What are the heat resistant and flame retardant characteristics of the Sani-Floor grates?
A: The Sani-Floor grates are designed for regular temperature use up to 190° F(87.77° C), with occasional max to 220° F (104.44° C). The grates have also been tested in accordance with ASTM E-84 (Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials) and have been determined to have Low Smoke Density and meet Flame Spread Rating of Class 1, 25 or less.
Q: Can I install the Self-Washing Floor Trough in an upper floor in a post tension building with cables going through the concrete?
A: This type of installation is possible but complex. An engineer would need to be consulted in order to ensure that the integrity of the floor is not interrupted. Contact the Sani-Floor Technical Department for more information.
Q: What is the load bearing capacity of the Sani-Floor grates?
A: The minimum ultimate capacity is approximately 1,425 Lbs/Ft (646 kg / 929 sq cm) per grate. The ultimate capacity will vary by model based upon the grate width and thickness. See deflection data under the downloads section of Sani-Floor web site or refer to the specific Sani-Floor model specification sheet.
Q: What happens if a stainless steel nozzle gets damaged on my Self-Washing Floor Trough?
A: This should not be an issue; however, the nozzles are designed to be easily changed from the top side of the unit. In the event that the threads are damaged in the manifold, they can be repaired with devices such as Heli-Coil or Time-Serts.
Q: Can I install my Self-Washing Floor Trough as part of an integral concrete pour?
A: For a better installation we highly recommend that you block out 8″ to 10″ (20.32 cm to 25.4 cm) around the perimeter of the units and stub up the water and drain connections for the initial pour. Afterwards you can make the final connections and dry pack concrete around the unit.
Q: What is the Self-Washing Floor Trough warranty?
A: There is a lifetime material and workmanship warranty on the stainless steel unit itself. The grates carry a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty. The installation components will carry their individual manufacturer’s warranty as well.
Q: If I install the Self-Washing Floor Trough in an upper floor or over a basement, how do you ensure water cannot leak down through the floor?
A: Sani-Floor® units intended for upper floor installations have integral drip skirts designed to channel any water that might come through the peripheral grout into the main unit. The Sani-Floor Trough Leak Eliminator should also be used with all above grade trough installations. This sump drain and seepage flange assembly is a sure method of eliminating leaks in occupied spaces below. The seepage flange clamps down on the water proof membrane and creates a watertight seal. Weep holes in the seepage flange allow liquids to freely flow into the building drain line and will never accumulate and leak into the occupied spaces below.
Q: Can Self-Washing Floor Troughs be installed in an existing facility?
A: In many cases yes, mainly where construction is concrete slab on grade.
Q: Can Self-Washing Floor Troughs be installed in facilities on upper floor levels?
A: It varies according to the type of structural system being used, but in most cases, the system can be designed into new construction. Sani-Floor Floor Troughs also come with a shallow depth option for these type of installations. The Sani-Floor Trough Leak Eliminator should always be installed in upper floor trough installations to prevent leaking in occupied spaces below.
Q: Do I still need to use anti-fatigue mats?
A: No, the fiberglass grates are designed to flex slightly under load, providing a comfortable and safe walking/working surface.
Q: How often do I need to use Sani-Floor’s® wash-down feature?
A: That is up to you, however, in most applications it takes just a few seconds once per hour to keep everything nice and clean.
Q: Will Self-Trough Floor Troughs improve my problems with clogged plumbing?
A: Yes! Food debris, swizzle sticks, straws and similar materials are caught by the strainer for easy removal. No more flowing down drain pipes.
Q: Do the Self-Washing Floor Troughs have any moving parts?
A: No. There’s nothing to break and nothing to wear out. Its simplicity is one of its best features.
Q: Is Sani-Floor® safer than anti-fatigue mats?
A: Absolutely! Sani-Floor® reduces the liability risk of “slip and fall” and tripping accidents and the potential workers compensation claims which often result from repetitive lifting and the washing of heavy mats.
Q: How sanitary are the Self-Washing Troughs?
A: Very. Since the debris is washed periodically into a waiting filter tray, there’s no build-up around the edges of your floor – typical in a mopping environment. And you can add a degreaser/cleanser to your water intake for an even cleaner surface.
Q: Will cleaning the Sani-Floor® stainless steel trough with bleach adversely affect the unit?
A: Yes, even though the trough is made with stainless steel, repeated contact with bleach will strip the coating from the stainless which will lead to rust developing on your unit.
