Which Type of Drain Cleaner Should I Use In My Home?

Your kitchen sink’s drain has been getting slower for weeks, and now the water is barely flowing. You thought about buying one of those drain cleaners at the supermarket or the hardware store, but there are so many kinds. Some claim to be for grease, some for hair, and many promise to work instantly. But which is the right one for your problem with your home’s kitchen sink drain?

Do you know how home chemical drain cleaners work?

The TV commercials and store displays might leave you believing that those drain cleaning chemicals are miracle products. Pour some in a slow drain, wait a few minutes, and your problems are solved! But it’s not quite that simple. These drain cleaners work by using a mix of dangerous chemicals to eat through the materials that are clogging your pipes.

What kind of chemicals do store-bought drain cleaners use?

Have you ever heard of sulfuric acid? That highly corrosive chemical is one of the most common ingredients in home drain cleaners. When you worked with chemicals like sulfuric acid in high school chemistry class, your teacher made you wear goggles, gloves, and other safety equipment to protect you from dangerous splashes. But that’s not the only chemical you’ll find. Other products use highly caustic lye, bleach, or peroxides to eat away at clogs. Don’t think they’re dangerous? Read the warning labels, and you’ll be surprised.

Chemicals can damage your home’s plumbing

Not only do chemical cleaners eat away at grease, hair, food, and the other materials that cause clogs … but they can often eat away at the materials your drains and pipes are made from. These harsh chemicals in these products can corrode both metal and plastic pipes over time, which is especially an issue in older homes with aging plumbing systems. Some chemicals generate dangerous levels of heat, which can weaken plastic pipe. Others corrode the pipe walls, eventually leading to leaks and even complete failure. Even worse, some cleaners leave behind residues that can trap more debris, leading to recurring blockages.

Chemicals can also damage your fixtures

No matter how carefully you try to pour chemicals down the drain, they can splash around and end up on the porcelain or other materials in your sinks, bathtub, and toilet. If you don’t clean them immediately, they can stain or even erode those materials, leading to discolorations and a degraded finish that’s difficult to repair.

Chemicals can hurt you and your family

The commercials may tell you these products are safe for your home, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe for the people who live there. Many chemical cleaners release harmful – even toxic — fumes, especially when combined with hot water or other cleaning agents. Inhaling these fumes can irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs, causing coughing, difficulty breathing, or dizziness. Because many of them are caustic, getting even a small splash on your skin or in your eyes can cause severe burns or irritation. And if you accidentally mix some of them with household cleaners like bleach or ammonia, they can generate dangerous gases like chlorine.

Chemicals can hurt the environment

Whatever you pour down the drain will eventually find its way into the water supply. Drain cleaners can harm aquatic ecosystems when they enter rivers, lakes, or oceans through wastewater systems. Their toxic components can affect marine life and disrupt ecosystems. If your home has a septic tank, harmful drain chemicals can leach out into the surrounding soil. In addition, these chemicals can interfere with the helpful bacteria wastewater treatment plants use to treat water.

We prefer mechanical methods

There are better ways to clean a stopped-up drain and keep it from becoming clogged again. Drain cleaning professionals turn to everything from plungers to drain augers to break clogs up. They also know how to completely remove debris so it doesn’t lead to further clogging, and they can provide advice to help you head off future problems.

We’re here to solve your drain problems

When sewer and drain backups interfere with the quality of your life or your family’s well-being, turn to the professionals at Johnson Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing. Nobody knows sewers and drains better, and our technicians have both the technology and the know-how to help them find the cause of your problem and deliver the best solution. Johnson Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing can help you keep your drains and sewers working just like they should. Give them a call at (317) 714-0936!