Five Reasons to Avoid Liquid Drain Cleaners
A clogged drain, whether sink, floor drain, or toilet, requires a prompt response. While plungers and augers are good tools to have on hand, one tool you want to avoid is liquid drain cleaner.
1. Caustic Chemicals
If you look at any bottle of liquid drain cleaner, the first thing you will likely notice is a long list of warnings. Drain cleaners are made of caustic chemicals that can burn your skin or cause blindness if it splashes back on you. Further, the fumes from these cleaners are also dangerous to breathe in, which can make it difficult to use the cleaner safely in a poorly ventilated room, such as a basement utility room.
2. Pipe Damage
Those caustic chemicals can eat through more than skin. If the cleaner sits in the pipes too long, it can begin to eat through the pipe itself. You may end up with a clean but leaky drain for all the trouble you went through. PVC pipes are especially prone to damage, but even metal pipes can become damaged over time. The cleaners can eat away at pipe coating and leave them exposed to rust and corrosion.
3. Septic Issues
The dangers of the chemicals in cleaners also affects the microbial life in a septic system, which means the good bacteria and microbes in a well working system can be destroyed by the use of drain cleaners. The result is a septic tank that fills with sludge too quickly so that it becomes prone to sewage backups and drain field issues. Liquid drain cleaners should never be used if you are on your own septic. Instead, call a plumber for any clog that occurs.
4. Stop-Gap Solution
Liquid drain cleaners typically don't solve the real problem that is causing the clog but instead just provide a temporary solution. A drain cleaner may clear a narrow path through the pipe, but it will quickly clog again unless the root cause is addressed. A plumber will determine what in the pipe is leading to the clog. Problems like pipe damage, root incursion, or physical objects stuck in the pipe all require solutions that a liquid drain cleaner can't provide.
5. Plumber Safety
Keep in mind that if the drain cleaner doesn't work, then other methods must be used. Trying to use a plunger or auger on a drain filled with caustic chemicals is dangerous for plumbers, as the splash back from these chemicals can cause grave injuries. It's best to avoid liquid cleaners entirely and instead opt for professional solutions that are proven to work.
Visit websites like https://www.blountsspeedyrooter.com/ to contact a professional plumber and address problematic clogs.