The Dangers of Liquid Drain Cleaners
Dealing with a clog in your Cincinnati home can be extremely frustrating, and can even put a halt to your daily life. So naturally, you look to finding the fastest solution possible. Usually this means a plunger, which is fine enough. But sometimes folks start reaching for commercial drain cleaners.
And this is where we simply must object! Liquid drain cleaners are actually quite ineffective for most clogs, but beyond that they pose quite a few dangers. Read on and find out why you should leave it to more trusted methods.
Why Don’t Drain Cleaners Work Well?
The problem is a simple matter of both limitations and unknown factors. If you have a clog comprised of maybe a few strands of hair or a week’s worth of soap scum, then yeah, it’ll probably get handled (through a plunger would handle that just as well). But this is not representative of most clogs. Most clogs are thick, dense, and actually very old. Drain cleaners simply lack the power to cut through the mess, and will often barely make a dent if even that. But this isn’t even the biggest issue.
Drain Cleaners Are Detrimental to the Health of Your Pipes
And you as well for that matter. That these chemicals are exceptionally toxic is obvious enough, though, so we’ll keep to what they can do to your pipes. Bottom line is that drain cleaners aren’t designed to do anything sophisticated. They’re just a compound comprised of highly caustic chemicals that are proven to eat through things. That goes for smaller clogs, sure, but it also goes for your pipes.
Hydrochloric acid, the primary active ingredient in most cleaners, is extremely caustic, which is really the only reason these work even at all. They’ll eat up hair, soap scum, waste, plastic, poly vinyl, aluminum, enamel—see where we’re going here? Even a single use of drain cleaners can strip piping and take years off of it’s life, and prolonged usage can actually lead to straight up pipe leaks and premature pipe failure.
Better Solutions for Pipe Clogs & Dirty Drains
We’re really not kidding when we say nearly anything is better. That goes for doing things yourself or calling on an expert, either way! Next time you’ve got a pipe problem or clog, consider doing these instead:
- Get a good plunger. A solid, dependable plunger is one of the best investments you can make with regards to your plumbing. It’ll last for years and can get you out of a jam most of the time!
- Invest in a closet auger. For problems a plunger can’t handle a closet auger (small, handheld sewer snake) can often be perfect. They’re relatively inexpensive and can save you from a lot of headache.
- Schedule routine drain cleaning. Routine pipe maintenance and drain cleaning will nearly 100% prevent clogs from ever happening. Professional service keeps flow even, helps ensure the health of your pipes, and avoids costly larger problems down the line.
- Call an expert for larger clogs! When all else fails, give your trusted plumbing experts a call for plumbing repair. It might be a pain, but it’s a lot less troublesome than sever pipe damage!
Looking for plumbing specialists in Ohio or Northern Kentucky? Call on Cincinnati’s trusted plumbing team, Schneller Knochelmann Plumbing, Heating & Air today!
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