You all must have seen the hole in the washbasin. Have you ever wondered, what is the purpose of these holes on the side of a sink. We will discuss the purpose of the hole in the washbasin in this article.
This opening is located on the wall of the basis nearest to you, near the top of the basin. The overflow opening serves two important functions:
1.)If the water tap is left on while the drain stopper is closed, the opening will channel water down into the drain opening rather than letting is spill out of the sink onto the floor.
2.)The overflow allows the sink to drain faster by introducing air into the system.
Preventing Overflow:
If you close the drain of your bathroom sink and fill up the sink basin to the level of the overflow hole, the water will begin draining into the overflow opening and down the drain. This helps prevent the water from spilling over the top of the basin, but because sink overflow holes are usually small, they may not prevent an overflow for very long.
Improving Drainage:
The sink overflow helps the basin drain faster by allowing air into the drain pipe via the overflow channel. When there's enough water in the basin to completely cover the drain opening, the drain can't get air through the water, creating a suction effect that slows the flow of water going down the drain. But with the overflow feeding air to the drain pipe, the suction effect is reduced and the water drains much faster. By contrast, sinks that don't have overflow openings commonly send up bubbles as they drain, and they typically drain more slowly.
Different sinks have varying designs along with hole types and where they are located. Some might be on the same side of the basin, whereas others might be located under the faucet or at the sink’s opposite side. The difference in the placement of these holes is meant for aesthetic reasons only.
