Why don't laundry & kitcken sinks have overflow drains?

[mathewhebailey0]

Anyone know why laundry & kitchen sinks don't have overflow drains I assume?
The only sinks I assume that have them are bathroom sinks. Both laundry & kitchen sinks should have them with strainers to keep solids from clogging the overflow drains. This is because occasionally someone leaves the laundry or kitchen sink faucet on unattended & as a result ends up overflowing the sink water onto the floor.

 

[sudsmaster]

I once had a cat that flooded the kitchen sink by jumping up to the window above the sink and accidentally turning on the faucet, while I was out. I came home to a running faucet and about 1/2 inch of water on the floor. After that I was careful to tighten the faucets and keep the drain open.

And it may sound harsh, but since then all my cats have gotten "sink training" when kittens. I turn on the kitchen faucet full blast and hold them close to it (but not in it). Only have to do it once. They get the message.

 

[arbilab]

Cats hate water.

Grandma's laundry sinks DID have overflow drains. But her house was built in the 1920s. I have never seen a kitchen sink with an overflow. I think the assumption is that you're going to be standing right there paying attention.

 

[ronhic]

Well here, there are two ways of fixing the overflow issue...

 

Either with an overflow or with a floor drain....bathrooms and laundrys in Oz are mostly tiled and must have a floor drain....some people have laundry tubs, bathroom sinks and baths with overflow drains, but it isn't required.

 

[neptunebob]

Because they get icky!

Look at the overflow in your bathroom sink and you will find all kinds of crud. Actually, the bathroom sink I have now does not have an overflow and it was actually promoted as a good feature because not having it is more sanitary. Also you can't clean them out. I think I will take a chance of overflow rather than have a biohazard.

 

[dj-gabriele]

I've never seen a kitchen or laundry sink WITHOUT an overflow drain in my entire life! :O

 

[foraloysius]

I've never seen a kitchen or laundry sink WITHOUT an ove

Same here!

 

[gus]

And the same here in Uruguay. It's regulated by the Water Company that all bathrooms should have an overflow drainage. And all kitchen sinks should too. Gus

 

[rapunzel]

Our kitchens don't have floor drains and I've never

...either. Overflows on any kind of sink are very rare and probably only come with Euro imports. That's just the way it is, always has been and will probably continue to be for the foreseeable future.

 

[circlew]

Unsanitary

I agree with NeptuneBob, they are just something else to have to make a special effort to keep clean. I worked at a restaurant one time that the sink had an overflow, and they had to take the cover off and use a bottle brush to clean it. I don't even know if NSF would approve such a sink today.

 

[alr2903]

NeptuneBob,  is exactly right.  Take a mirror and actually look into the overflow in your bathroom sink.   Showers only here, it just our personal preference not to sit in a tub. alr

 

 

[joeekaitis]

 

 

 

They're usually in garages or basements with a floor drain?

 

[alr2903]

NeptuneBob,  is exactly right.  Take a mirror and actually look into the overflow in your bathroom sink.   Showers only here, it just our personal preference not to sit in a tub. alr

 

 

[circlew]

Sinks with overflow

For those who really want such a sink, they are readily available.

http://www.justmfg.com/integra

 

[sudsmaster]

Not all cats

Hate water.

I once had a cat that would jump into the bathtub with me. Well, once at least. But she really didn't seem to mind water that much (and she was the one who turned on the kitchen faucet and flooded the floor!)...

 

[yogitunes]

we had a double laundrytub once, in the middle was hole to allow overflo into the next tub, but in the middle of this hole was a slot that allowed water to run into the drain if both tubs were overflowing...this was a solid steel unit....

the one I have now just has the hole to overflo from side to side.....this is a porcelain coated CRANE tub....

I really like these ones compared to the plastic units of today....especially the built in scrub boards.....

 

[arbilab]

Long distracting story but I once rescued a kitten from a brick pillar on the front porch where momma cat abandoned her. I determined to find a home for her since I'm allergic to cats. But she would let me hold her under warm running bathtub water and wash her. And I found out if you wash cats they don't give you allergies. But she was already promised. And the minute she was gone I wished I had her back.

She was very special. Beautiful half Siamese. And like a dog, considerate. I'd go out to feed her first thing in the morning and she would be quite excited and paw my legs BUT NOT CLAW ME. If I hadn't seen her climbing the wood roof posts I never would have known she even HAD claws. She lived on the back porch and never wandered. I couldn't leave her inside because I had a free-flying bird and while she never harassed it you just can't turn your back on a cat with a loose bird in the room.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Some do by their design. My kitchen sink is a double sink.
The divider between the two bowls is lower than the top of the sink so in the case you forget and leave the water running it will drain to the other side that hopefully isn't plugged.

 

[mattywashboy]

I understand about the sanitary, non of my sinks have an overflow, but my laundry sink has the hole in the side for if you want to suds save the washer water, otherwise known as the washer drain hose hole, water runs down a pipe underneath the trough to meet the normal drain pipe. Pretty standard feature on Aussie laundry sinks these days.

My washer hose is normally always down this hole. When i remove it, i cringe at the state of the inside of that pipe, green with constant dampness and always has a funky smell when I lift the pipe out. Not nice. I have started trying to scrub it a bit with a large brush pipe cleaner and some disinfectant or bleach.

As far as it serving as an overflow, the hole is just on the side of the sink not really set any lower so i don't think it would do much, i don't think that was one of their purposes.