If you are a homeowner, you might think there aren’t any fundamental differences between your bathroom and kitchen plumbing. However, there are a few noteworthy differences that you should consider before you hire a plumber.
Let’s walk through kitchen plumbing vs. bathroom plumbing: what to know. Our guide on these two types of plumbing presents the expected differences but also some unexpected ones.
Plumbing Details Specifically Related to Kitchens
Manufacturers designed kitchen plumbing to help solve common kitchen problems. For instance, most people use their kitchen sinks to wash their dishes, so the plumbing should be able to handle food waste.
Since food varies in size and consistency, it can easily clog a drain when it piles up. Therefore, you might want to scrape food scraps off your dishes into the trash and put a mesh screen in your drain if you don’t have a garbage disposal. If you have a garbage disposal, you can utilize it to avoid dealing with food waste clogging your kitchen plumbing.
Things get more complicated if you’re disposing of fats, grease, or oils. Even though they will be in liquid form when you pour them down the drain, they will harden into a solid when they sit in your pipes, leading to horrendous clogs. You shouldn’t pour these materials down the drain; instead, you should wipe them off with a paper towel and dispose of them in the garbage.
Plumbing Details for Bathrooms
Hair is a greater concern than fats and oils when it comes to bathroom plumbing! Hair is the most common source of bathroom plumbing clogs, whether you are shaving or brushing hair over the sink or in the shower. Materials like soap, dirt, and styling products also stick your hair to the sides of your pipes, leading to further clogs.
For this reason, you will want to remove hair from your sink, shower, or tub before it goes down the drain. A hair guard for your drain can help. If you’re unable to remove loose hair and soap scum before it enters your drain, you may have to buy a plumbing snake or call residential plumbing services to eliminate those clogs.
Sink Types for Kitchens and Bathrooms
Different types of sinks are suited for bathroom plumbing and kitchen plumbing. You might see a vessel sink, drop-in sink, or undermount sink for bathrooms. Kitchens will have larger sinks for washing dishes, so some examples include double-basin sinks (one basin for washing or soaking in soapy water, one for rinsing with clear water), workstation sinks, farmhouse sinks, and kitchen island sinks.
After reading this guide, you should have learned the differences between kitchen plumbing vs. bathroom plumbing and what you need to know. Now that you know the differences, go ahead and call a plumber today if you need to deal with a clog or want to install a new sink.