We’ve all encountered drain clogs. Whether in the shower, the kitchen, or the bathroom, clogs can be troublesome to deal with, causing residents to seek immediate solutions. Because dealing with a clogged drain can take time, you may be tempted to pick up a chemical drain cleaning product from your local grocery store. These products often advertise having your drain cleared out and flowing again in as little as just a few minutes, making them the fastest and easiest way to get your drains moving.
However, there are cautions to take with these fast solutions. While it’s true that chemical drain cleaners can eat away at the clogs, they don’t do so indiscriminately. And this fact alone makes them absolutely detrimental to your drain, your entire plumbing system, and even your entire home. Here are a few reasons why you should avoid these caustic chemical drain cleaner products at all costs.
Chemical Drain Cleaners are Hazardous
Drain cleaners are often acids with the potency and dissolving ability of things like battery acid. Battery acid can cause severe burns and even permanent disfiguration if you’re exposed to it for too long. That means even a small amount of drain cleaner getting on your skin could be horribly painful and lead to scarring for life. Why would you want to use a product like that in your home, where your children or pets could accidentally come in contact with it?
As plumbers, we’ve seen first-hand what kind of power these acids have. Even a small drop has managed to put holes in work boots, eat through clothing, and even cause burn injuries that take weeks to heal. And when they don’t fix the problem, plumbers have to stick their equipment, or worse, their hands, down the drain. This ruins equipment and potentially causes serious injuries to those who come to try and solve your problem the correct way.
Chemical Drain Cleaners Damage Your Plumbing
Drain cleaners eat through everything that they come in contact with. And yes, that also includes your pipes. In fact, they eat through your pipes more than perhaps anything else. The acid in a drain cleaner creates thinner and more brittle areas of your pipe, especially in areas where the acid can pool and settle, such as plumbing traps. Before long, this weak spot can become a microfracture, and before long after that, the fracture becomes a leak that’s damaging the underside of your sink.
The acid that flows further down your drain also continues to damage every other line it comes in contact with, which means your lines could develop leaks further down. This can cause catastrophic problems, including slab leaks which are immensely difficult and invasive to repair.
Chemical Drain Cleaners Are Bad for the Environment
The acid from drain cleaners is created to dissolve the contents creating the clog and continuing on through your pipes. When the acid has cleared the plumbing pipes, it goes into the public sewer system, where it remains. Acids have been found to pollute groundwater, causing radical changes to lakes, rivers, and oceans, and even resulting in harm to wildlife. You may not think that a small amount of acid means all that much in the grand scheme of things, but the truth is small amounts from large numbers of people quickly makes a huge change in our fragile ecosystem.
Having Your Drain Professionally Cleaned
While chemical drain cleaners can provide a fast and cost-efficient solution for clearing your clogged drains, there are consequences to using them that can affect you in the long run. When dealing with clogged drains, we recommend avoiding using chemical drain cleaners. There are safer, more effective, and more eco-friendly solutions to clear your clogged drains. If you’re in need of drain cleaning services, call the experts at Pristine Plumbing. Our professional drain cleaners are ready to clear your clogs properly while providing a safe and eco-friendly experience.
About Pristine Plumbing, Inc.
Pristine Plumbing, Inc. is a team of fully licensed, professional plumbers serving their community with plumbing installations, repairs, and maintenance. They offer straightforward pricing and 24-hour service so homeowners can have peace of mind when plumbing issues arise. Call them today for plumbing services in Irvine, CA.
