Why is it there is an overflow drain in bathroom sinks but not kitchen sinks?

Question

Wouldn't this help prevent water damage in some cases? Seriously, what's the deal?

Answer 1

Screaming Eagle and Benareese are so wrong, As per the Unified Building code, plumbing cannot be vented to living areas. A single basin kitchen sink would have no second drain anyway.

Traditionally overflows were installed in bathroom fixtures because they were often on the second floor of homes. The overflows were to avoid water damage.

Kitchens were often located either in a separate building or on the first (ground) floor.

Answer 2

Thats a good question. I think it's a conspiracy! It may be that there is limited amount of space between the front of the sink and the inside of the cabinet so adding an over flow would take up too much room and people would rather have a larger kitchen sink. Also young children tend to leave the bath water running after brushing and washing but usually they can't reach the kitchen faucet.

Answer 3

It is not an overflow, it is an air vent, so that the water can drain better. Kitchen sinks usually have 2 sinks, one vents the other so a vent is not needed.

Kitchens with only one sink, such as in motor homes, have a vent.

Answer 4

The answer about the air vent sounds reasonable. Also, you have two sides to your kitchen sink. if you notice the center divider is a little lower then the outter lip. For this reason all the overflow should go into the other sink and not over the edges.

Answer 5

am confused...I never ever saw an overflow drain in either...

Answer 6

maybe cuz as it is a food prep area, there would be a buildup of food debris in an overflow & it would smell pretty nasty after awhile

Answer 7

kitchens usually dont have doors so little boys cant sneak into them and run the faucet and flood the room.....over flows arent necessary.

Answer 8

air vent to help drainage