You might think that drain cleaners are not very exciting. But if you continue to pour bottle after bottle of those harsh chemicals down your home’s drains, you are going to make a disturbing and costly discovery. Or you could save yourself some time, frustration, and a lot of cash by asking a plumber’s opinion of liquid drain cleaners.
The Cold Hard Truth About Chemical Drain Cleaners
To save you some time making that call the next time you have a drain that is not clearing correctly, we will share the “secret” that all plumbers know when it comes to drain cleaning. Chemical drain cleaners have a better chance of destroying your home’s drain pipes than they do of removing clogs. The caustic chemicals in drain cleaners are designed to create heat to dissolve a clog or blockage in the drain pipe. But remember, most residential drain pipes are plastic.
So how do the chemicals know what to melt and destroy? The simple answer is, they don’t. You pour them into the drain, and the heating begins. But because the drain is blocked, the chemicals all settle into a tiny section of the pipe at the clog. And from there, the fun begins. In most cases, the plastic pipe will melt or at least deform before the nasty clog of hair, food particles, and soap scum begins to melt.
Truth In Advertising
The bottle of your favorite drain cleaner might have the phrase “SAFE ON PIPES” printed in huge, bold letters. But if the bottle also has a safety warning to call the local poison control if the cleaner touches your skin, then it’s probably going to destroy your drain pipes. The powers that be are much more strict about safety warnings than they are about honest advertising and labeling. So believe what you want, but keep the number for poison control close if you choose to use chemical drain cleaners.
DIY Solutions That Are Safe
If you pay attention to your home’s drains, you will notice when they become a little slow to clear. This is the time to take things into your own hands with a DIY solution that is safe for both you and your drain lines.
- Hot water is a great drain cleaner. Pour a large pot of hot water down any drain that is slow to clean. Make sure the water is very hot but not boiling because you know that the drain lines are plastic. Then turn on the cold water full blast to wash away all of the remnants that the hot water melted from the inside of the drain line.
- Baking soda and vinegar can do more than create a great science project volcano. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. This is one chemical reaction that your drain pipes can handle. You can let the bubbles work overnight or wait a few minutes and flush the drain with a pot of hot water. This is also a great way to eliminate foul odors from your drain pipes.
For The Toughest Clogs
If you have let a nasty clog get beyond the capability of your safe DIY solutions, it is time to call in the professionals at Action Air Plumbing and Septic. Our drain cleaning specialists’ team uses nothing but high-pressure water to blast away clogs and the sticky residue inside the drain pipes that will create future clogs. Call 806-583-3558 to schedule your appointment for a professional drain cleaning. All of our work, including drain cleanings, are backed by our complete warranty.
