Not all but MOST stainless steel sinks are given away as free promotions to sell countertops. DOES NOT COMPLY WITH LOCAL BUILDING CODE. If you received a “free sink” with your countertop, it may not even be certified to comply with the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) ®, the International Plumbing Code (IPC) ® or the National Plumbing Code of Canada (NPC). ) ®.
All components of the plumbing system are required by the codes listed above to be certified by an accredited third party agency to meet the standards listed in the codes. For example, if you go to your local building supply store, you will notice that there is a label on each pipe that lists the standards that the pipe meets. This is the certification information. For stainless steel sinks the standard is ASME A112.19.3.
In the earlier days, the internet components of your plumbing system were mostly sold through plumbing supply houses. Being in the plumbing industry, these organizations understood and self-controlled these requirements. Then came the Internet and anyone could buy anything certified or not.
When the market slowed down, many counter manufacturers were looking for a promotion to boost sales. They started giving away a free stainless steel sink with their countertops. The promotion was so successful that in some markets the free sink became the standard. Manufacturers looking to stay competitive started looking for the cheapest sink they could find to use like these promotional sinks. Many were not aware of the code requirements or if they did they did not care because it was a “free sink” after all. When you give away an OTC price, the issue is not quality.
Certification is expensive. Not only does the product have to be tested, but the accredited agency must visit the factory every six months to verify that all the processes that are part of the standards are still being followed.
How do you know if a sink is certified? That is a difficult question to answer. One of the code requirements is that the sink be marked in an accessible location in the final installation with the manufacturer’s name and model number so that the sink can be investigated. Most accredited agencies also require that the product be marked with the agencies’ certification seal. If the sink is not marked, it is not code compliant. Marking alone does not mean certification. At least one major supplier to the manufacturing industry mentioned for several years that it was certified when it was not. The best way to know if your sink is certified is to look up the brand and visit the website of the accredited agencies, not the website of the sink company, to find out if the manufacturer is listed. You can also request copies of the certification from the accredited agency, not just a statement from the sink company.
So why do you care if your sink is not certified? It means that the sink has not been tested to meet the standards. It may have impurities that will shorten the life of the sink or even make it unhealthy to use. If it can be made of softer steel. It may not have the ingredients that give the stainless steel sink the glossy finish that is the signature of a high-quality stainless steel sink. Or it may not have the finish hardening ingredients that make the finish last a lifetime. If it’s not tested and certified, who knows what’s in your stainless steel sink.
copyright 2011 Thomas Robinson