Air Gap vs. Air Break in Plumbing - What's the Difference?

Air Gap vs. Air Break Plumbing: Your Friendly Guide to Keeping Water Safe Hey there! Ever found yourself staring at that little chrome cylinder on your kitchen counter, or perhaps wondering why your washing machine drain hose just sort of… hangs out in a pipe? If you're anything like me, you've probably given it a fleeting thought before getting back to more exciting things. But guess what? Those seemingly mundane plumbing features are actually super important guardians of your household's health. We're talking about backflow prevention, and specifically, two key players in that game: the air gap and the air break. ...

December 16, 2025 · 8 min · Katarina Henley