Why You Should Hire an Expert Instead of Using Drain Cleaner on Your Pipes
So, your bathroom sink or shower just isn’t draining the way it used to be. You may be tempted to go out to the store and buy a bottle of drain cleaner. It seems like such a simple solution—just dump it down the drain and let it do its thing—but perhaps you’ve heard rumors of chemical drain cleaners causing damage to plumbing. Is drain cleaner bad for pipes? Unfortunately, it can be.
There are many reasons you should bring in a trained and experienced plumber if you’re experiencing plumbing issues. The fact is that these drain cleaners often do more harm than good. Let’s look at all the reasons you should avoid using chemical cleaners to unclog drains.
How drain cleaners damage pipes
Products like Drano and Liquid-Plumr might work to unclog your drain, but their effectiveness comes at a cost. While a single use may be fine to clear a small clog, using them on larger clogs or on a regular basis isn’t recommended.
These products are chemically designed to eat away at whatever is there—including your pipes. Using them frequently may result in irreparable damage to your plumbing. Especially if you have plastic pipes, you should avoid using these products.
If the drain is completely stopped, that’s a sign of a larger clog, which means drain cleaner is the wrong tool for the job. You should also avoid using drain cleaners for your toilet, because the chemical liquid will sit in the bowl and generate heat, which could lead to cracking.
Use of other household chemicals
You might think you can substitute bleach or other caustic liquids for drain cleaner. This is a particularly bad idea if you have a septic system, as these cleaners will eliminate the bacteria that is necessary to break down waste. Even if you don’t have a septic system, it’s not good practice to pour bleach down the drain, as it can create toxic gases when mixed with other household cleaning agents like rubbing alcohol and toilet cleaner.
Why you should bring in the pros
You likely don’t have all the tools a professional plumber has to tackle a stubborn clog or other plumbing issue. Using a plunger might work for a small clog, but it can lead to sludge accumulating in the drain, meaning the problem never really goes away.
A licensed and trained plumber will be able to get to the root of the problem and solve it. Your drains will be working like new in no time at all with the assistance of a professional technician.
If you’re wondering whether cleaning products can damage your pipes, you should call an experienced plumber. At Orchard Plumbing, we believe in serving our customers with complete honesty. Honesty and quality have been the cornerstones of our business since we opened our doors, and it’s exactly what has kept us in business all these years. It is because of our integrity that we’ve become one of the local leaders in our industry. Contact us right now for all your plumbing needs!