Unsurprisingly, your plumbing system is heavily involved in your kitchen. No surprises there, right? Water lines, faucets, garbage disposals and so on. No matter if it be for a residential house or a business’s breakroom, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing has plenty of experience when it comes to plumbing projects in the kitchen and that will be the focus point of this week’s blog post.
For anyone that has previously visited our plumbing blog, you likely know that we regularly talk about the ins and outs of various plumbing fixtures. That could be in relation to the necessary maintenance for keeping them functional, tips on what to look for when purchasing new fixtures or anything else. The one common thing you can take away from all of this is the fact that plumbing fixtures are something we use each and every day. In this week’s blog post, we’ll discuss a variety of topics in relation to your kitchen’s plumbing components and hopefully you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you better understand your plumbing system!
Sink and Faucet
Let’s start with the main ones that obviously will serve a big role: your sink and faucet. With these two integral plumbing components, there are a few things that you’ll want to take into consideration.
Appearance: We often say that you wouldn’t think “physical appearance” would be all that impactful in your plumbing system, but it is definitely relevant in purchasing certain fixtures, with the sink and faucet being two prime examples. With faucets, the major factor here is the finish. Whether it be chrome, matte black, gold or any of the other popular finishes, it’s going to be important to find one that aligns seamlessly with your countertops, backsplash and even the other components in your kitchen. Likewise, with kitchen sinks, you’ll also have different color options to pick from. All in all, there are a plethora of kitchen faucet and sink options available, so you’ll have no trouble finding something that matches your vision.
Compatibility: Another point worth mentioning is the fact that the existing kitchen set-up could impact which sink or faucet you select. With this, we’re referencing the holes in the countertops for the sink and faucet. Furthermore, keep in mind that some sinks will have holes in them where the faucet pieces go through, while others will have the faucet holes separately in the countertop. All in all, while you can make cuts into an existing countertop to meet the needs of your new sink and/or faucet, if you’re looking for the easiest installation, then you’ll want to look for something that is compatible with your existing set-up.
Brand: As is the case with any other plumbing fixture that you have installed, it is extremely important to buy products made by reliable manufacturers/brands. This will help ensure you have easy access to repair parts, have a professional product installed and won’t have to worry about being met with constant issues in the near future. Unsure which brands you should be looking out for? Give our team a call at (816) 348-3481 and we can help steer you in the right direction.
Type/Size: The final items that we’ll discuss in regards to the sink/faucet are the different types and sizes available. These will likely come down to personal preference, but it is still something worth mentioning. Generally speaking, you will notice that the taller faucets are quite popular in kitchen settings and I think the reason for that is rather self-explanatory. However, you will need to finalize the type of faucet. Like we mentioned in the “compatibility” section above, some of the variables for the types of faucets (for example, two-handle vs one-handle) may already be decided for you based on how you approach the compatibility question. Nonetheless, you will notice there are several styles out there regardless. In terms of the sink though, a major factor will be the overall depth. Some people prefer deeper sinks than others, but you’ll definitely want to make sure it’s deep enough to prevent any splashing while washing the dishes!
In the end, we gave the kitchen sink and faucet the biggest section because they obviously serve a major role in the daily kitchen operations!
Garbage Disposal
The next topic of discussion will be the garbage disposal. In regards to garbage disposals, you’re going to want to look for something made by a reliable brand (we recommend InSinkErator) and also ensure that it is properly sized for your household’s needs. For some homeowners, noise level could be a potential concern when purchasing a new garbage disposal too. For those who are looking for a disposal that offers premier performance, while also operating in a quieter manner, take a look at InSinkErator’s Quiet Series HERE. By the way, make sure you know what garbage disposals can and can’t handle. Coffee grounds, fibrous veggies and pasta are all examples of no-go’s! To sum it up, garbage disposals can be an excellent tool to have in the kitchen, but there are definitely a few things to keep in mind when purchasing a new one and maintaining it.
Pot Filler
Next on our list is an item that likely falls in the same general category as sink faucets. Even though you probably won’t find these in all kitchens (like a sink faucet), pot fillers can prove to be a useful tool to have. They are typically going to be installed above the stove. As you can probably guess, it is designed to make cooking in the kitchen easier by providing quick access to water in the event that you need it while cooking (and don’t want to carry the pot across the kitchen). Similar to kitchen sink faucets, pot fillers are available in a wide variety of different finishes, so you’ll also be able to purchase something that matches your other fixtures in the room too!
Under-the-Sink Filter
Over the years, it’s safe to say that water filtration systems and water softeners have become increasingly popular. After all, if they improve the quality of your water, what’s not to love? With each of these, you have a number of options available to pick from. We’ve discussed water softeners before, as you can decide between salt-based systems and citrus-based units. Today however, we’ll be focusing on water filtration systems. With water filters, you have whole-house filters, faucet-attached filters, reverse osmosis filters and so on.
For the purpose of this blog post though, we wanted to take a minute to highlight under-the-sink filters and whether that may make sense for your home. These come in a variety of different sizes and are simply installed in the counter underneath your sink with their primary goal being to remove unwanted contaminants from your drinking water. Keep in mind that you will have to replace the filter from time-to-time to keep it functioning properly! If you’re someone that’s worried about the quality of your home’s water, then having some type of filter installed is definitely worth looking into.
Kitchen Plumbing Services in Kansas City
Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our team tackles kitchen plumbing projects repeatedly throughout the year. Whether that be cleaning drains, installing new fixtures or anything else, we understand that you don’t want to let any kitchen plumbing issues sit for very long unfixed. With that being the case, we always strive to get any repairs or new installations completed in a timely manner. If you live in or near the Kansas City area and need help with an upcoming plumbing project, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE. We look forward to working with you!