It’s nice having access to a sink when you need one. Most people have sinks in their kitchen and bathrooms, but there are other locations where a sink can come in handy as well. Installing a utility sink can make tasks such as laundry and cleaning easier, while also keeping you from having to dump cleaning wastewater into your kitchen or bathroom sink.
Installing a utility sink in places like your laundry room, basement, or mudroom can be a great idea, especially if there aren’t any other sinks convenient to those locations. Depending on how your home is laid out, though, it might also be a significant undertaking. If you’re thinking about adding a utility sink, here are some things to keep in mind.
What Is a Utility Sink?
Utility sinks are standalone deep basin sinks in areas such as a laundry room or basement. Some utility sinks may have a hose attachment or threaded faucet that a standard hose can be attached to. This allows them to fill buckets or other containers with water even if the container isn’t placed into the sink itself.
Most of the time, the purpose of a utility sink is cleaning related. Utility sinks that are in laundry rooms may be used to wash off dirt, paint, and other materials before putting items in the washing machine. They can also be used to fill mop buckets and other containers with soapy water for cleaning floors or even washing your car. Many of these sinks also contain large drains to make it easy to empty.
Utility Sink Installation
Installing a utility sink can be similar to installing a kitchen or bathroom sink. The difference is that not many houses are set up with water lines that terminate at a utility sink’s location until the sink is installed. Meaning a little more work may be required to run the plumbing and install the valves necessary to hook up a utility sink. Laundry rooms may already have water lines nearby, but other rooms such as the basement or garage could require some time and work. You’ll also need to consider drainage, so the water in your sink has somewhere to drain.
Once all the plumbing issues are sorted, you’ll need to secure the sink basin and connect the water lines and drainage. Some utility sinks have a single faucet, while others have two faucets or a faucet and a hose attachment; make sure that these are hooked up properly if you want to make full use of them. After everything is connected and the basin is secure, all that’s left to do is to turn on the water and make sure that the sink functions correctly.
Hire a Professional
Utility sinks can be very useful in the home, though getting one installed can be a lot of work if your home isn’t set up for one. If installing a utility sink seems like a big job to tackle, don’t worry; there are professionals in your area who can help you with the installation.