Before Using Liquid Drain Cleaners… Think Again
Let’s play “what if?” What if you have a drain that is slow or clogged in your kitchen or bathroom? In that case, calling a plumber might not be your first choice. Most people believe that using a commercial liquid drain cleaner you buy in the store is cheaper and requires very little effort, so why call for professional help. Actually, there are a number of reasons: your pipes, your health and the often poor performance of liquid drain cleaners, just to name a few.
Care For Your Pipes
Most liquid drain cleaners work by creating a chemical
reaction right inside your drainpipe, often with the help of hydrochloric acid.
These reactions typically generate heat, and that heat can do some irreversible
damage to the pipe itself.
This is especially true if the cleaner doesn’t do a quick or
complete job of dissolving the clog because the liquid chemicals will just sit
on top of the clog while the chemical reaction is concentrated on one small
section of the pipe.
If the pipe is plastic, the high heat could partially melt
and deform the material. Metal pipes are more resilient, but the heat can
weaken the metal in such a way that cracks and leaks become more likely down
the line. This is especially true for older pipes.
Protect Your Health
If drain cleaning chemicals can do that kind of damage to
your pipes, just imagine what they can do to you. The fumes released from the
use of these products may prove irritating to the eyes, nose, throat, and
lungs.
Though not all drain cleaner formulas are the same, some may
cause burns if you accidentally get them on your skin. Even worse is if you
accidentally get some in your eyes, which is why it’s a good idea to always
wear safety goggles and avoid splashing if you use these products.
Get Your Money’s Worth
Even if you manage to avoid damaging your pipes or
compromising your health, there’s never a guarantee that a drain cleaner will
be effective. The sad reality is: if the clog is caused by anything other than
a simple hairball or grease buildup, the drain cleaner is unlikely to help at
all.
One of the greatest advantages of calling a plumber to clear
a drain is the ability to diagnose the cause of the clog. If there’s a break in
a pipe that’s allowing other material to push inside, or if the root cause is
located deeper in your drainage system, using a liquid drain cleaner is a
complete waste of money.
Try Elbow Grease
Instead of immediately reaching for the bottle of liquid
chemicals, try clearing a clogged drain the old fashioned way: use a plunger.
Just be sure to practice proper plunger technique for the best possible
results.
If that doesn’t work, you may be able to clear the drain on
your own using a plumbing snake. There are scaled-down versions that can be
powered by almost any electrical drill. They aren’t quite as powerful as the
ones plumbers use, but they’re more than enough for your usual hair or grease
clogs. Some people have found that a wire hangar can be effective if you bend
the end to create a small “L” shape and use that to pull up any hairballs that
may be causing the blockage.
Do you have a clog that needs clearing? Try the plunger, the
snake or the wire hangar if you’re the DIY type, but resist the urge to choose
the chemical solution. If you can’t extract the obstruction on your own,
relying on the expertise of your local plumbing professional is always the
preferred option. If you need us, we are here 24/7 for all your plumbing needs.
Call Anthony’s Plumbing at: (909) 823-3807!
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