Plumbing in the kitchen sink consists of a few basic elements. The hot water supply pipes, the cold water supply pipes, the waste pipes and the drain are three primary parts of every kitchen sink. Of course, it’s a much more complicated process than that. Find out just how plumbing in kitchen sinks functions to provide you with a consistent supply of hot and cold water for your daily activities.
What’s under the sink?
There is a host of parts and pieces that make up the kitchen sink plumbing that rests beneath the surface of the sink. Immediately below the sink is a rubber gasket and then a locknut, which helps hold the strainer in place and connect it to the tail piece. After these components comes the trap, which is designed to “trap” stuff that falls into the drain that shouldn’t go down the drain. There’s a clean out area at the bottom of the trap where people can access the pipe, and on the other side of the trap, pipes connect it to the drainage portion of the system that removes waste.
A look inside the trap
The actual trap consists of multiple parts. Starting with the tail piece, the inlet appears first and connects to the trap adapter. In the “U” shape part of the trap, or the bottom of the trap, you’ll find the trap dip, the P-trap, the cleanout (usually at the bottom of the “U”), the lower dip, the seal and the trap weir. At the other end of the trap, there is the outlet pipe and the trap arm.
What else is involved?
If your kitchen employs other appliances or equipment that consumes water, such as a dishwasher, garbage disposal or fridge ice maker, these components will generally connect underneath the sink. If they’re installed in a newly constructed kitchen, some of the connections may be made underneath the flooring, with a connector or shut off valve located under the sink.
Caring for kitchen plumbing
When food particles, grease or fat, or other particles go down the drain, they easily get caught or built up in the walls of the pipe. Opening the trap can help, as a plumber can use tools to clear out the blockages from there or locate foreign objects. However, it’s important to keep your kitchen plumbing in good condition by limiting what you put down the drain and scheduling annual maintenance.
All of this complicated plumbing in kitchen sink ensures that households across the country can have instant access to cold and hot water whenever it’s needed. It also makes disposing of waste water easy and sanitary. For answers to your questions, contact the Pink Plumber today.
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