| p>More than likely, your restaurant has several sinks | | | | a wall mount faucet. |
| that serve many purposes in the back of the house, | | | | If you skipped down, start here. |
| in server stations, and behind the bar. Having the | | | | Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of |
| right kind of sinks in the right places is important not | | | | water every year! That costs your restaurant |
| only to accomplish many various tasks, from glass | | | | money, especially if it's the hot water that's leaking. |
| and hand washing to stock pot and flatware cleaning, | | | | Over time, the washers in a stem assembly become |
| it's also a vital part of your food safety program, and | | | | worn, which means they don't form a perfect seal |
| something that health inspectors will focus on. | | | | when the handle is turned off. This allows water to |
| First, let's get the basics out of the way. Most of | | | | leak out even though the faucet is turned off. These |
| you probably already know this stuff because you | | | | washers are less than $5, and they can save you |
| have to set up your sinks properly to pass inspection. | | | | hundreds of dollars in utility costs over the course of |
| But if you're thinking about starting a brand new | | | | a year. |
| restaurant, the following info will be very helpful. | | | | Caring For Restaurant Sinks and Faucets |
| For the rest of you, skip past this and read some | | | | Commercial sinks and faucets are made from |
| additional, VERY IMPORTANT information, unless | | | | stainless steel. Stainless steel is a great material |
| you're looking for one of the sinks or faucets listed | | | | because it's durable and rust resistant, but a couple |
| below. | | | | simple maintenance techniques can extend the life |
| Types of Sinks: | | | | cycle of any sink or faucet. |
| Hand Sinks: these are pretty standard sinks for | | | | Never use abrasive pads or detergents. Steel isn't |
| washing your hands. Keep the dishes out. | | | | stainless or rust resistant. There is actually a thin film |
| Kitchen Sinks: choose from 1, 2, 3, or 4 compartment | | | | of chromium and/or nickel that covers the steel and |
| kitchen sinks for rinsing and washing dishes. An | | | | gives it it's shine and prevents rust from forming. |
| HACCP program requires a 3 compartment sink for | | | | When you use an abrasive pad or detergent to clean |
| the proper sanitization of dishes. Review the | | | | stainless steel, this thin film becomes scored and |
| procedure here. If you want to wash and fill stock | | | | develops holes, which allows rust to move in. |
| pots and other big cookware items, get a big sized | | | | Wipe sinks and faucets down daily. Moisture is rust's |
| compartment sink. | | | | best friend, and the sinks and faucets in your kitchen |
| Bar Sinks: 3 compartment bar sinks are designed for | | | | are necessarily wet all day. When you clean out your |
| glass washing behind the bar. | | | | sinks at the end of the day, however, make sure |
| With all these sinks, make sure you buy NSF | | | | you wipe them down with a soft rag. This prevents |
| approved only! NSF sinks have features that prevent | | | | moisture and rust from working together overnight |
| the buildup of grime and bacteria, like welded | | | | to tarnish and rust your sinks and faucets. |
| drainboards and sealed seams that eliminate spaces. | | | | Use a Garbage Disposer |
| Types of Faucets: | | | | In kitchen sinks that collect food waste from |
| Deck Mount Faucets: these faucets mount directly | | | | washing cookware and tableware, installing a garbage |
| onto the sink. Make sure you measure the hole | | | | disposer is important. Not only does it increase your |
| centers, or the distance between the center of the | | | | kitchen's efficiency since you don't have to clean out |
| two holes where the faucet will mount on your sink, | | | | and dispose of food waste separately, a garbage |
| before ordering. | | | | disposer also makes your restaurant green. That's |
| Wall Mount Faucets: these faucets mount from the | | | | because you keep food waste out of landfills and |
| wall and come through the backsplash. Wall mount | | | | conserve water by reducing sink cleaning time. |
| faucets are by far the most common type in | | | | Sending food waste down the drain also keeps it out |
| restaurants. | | | | of trash cans and dumpsters in your kitchen, where it |
| Pot Filler Assemblies: these are a specialized wall | | | | decomposes quickly, breeding bacteria and nasty |
| mount faucet with a hose or extended, swiveling | | | | smells. |
| spout that allows you to easily fill big stock pots. | | | | Restaurant sinks are easy to forget about. It's one |
| Pre-Rinse Assemblies: these assemblies are designed | | | | of those things you have to worry about when you |
| to help staff quickly rinse dirty cookware and | | | | first open a restaurant, and don't really think about |
| tableware before it goes into your dish machine. | | | | afterwards. But properly maintaining your sinks and |
| It's always going to be easier to install the type of | | | | faucets, repairing them quickly when they leak, and |
| faucet that your sinks and kitchen's plumbing are set | | | | equipping them properly with things like pot fillers and |
| up for. If the sink in question has holes for a deck | | | | garbage disposers, not only makes your operation |
| mount faucet and your pipes come vertically out of | | | | more efficient, it can translate into significant savings |
| the floor, use a deck mount. If you have plumbing | | | | later on. |
| coming horizontally out of the wall, by all means use | | | | |