We’ve all been there. It’s been a long day of work and you head to the grocery store after finding out that your bathroom drain is all backed up. You don’t have time to deal with drain clogs, right? That’s why the chemical drain cleaner aisle at the store is always so enticing. These solutions are quick and easy, you just pour them down the drain and the chemicals destroy whatever is clogging your drain. Simple enough!
That’s where you’re wrong. Chemical drain cleaners are advertised as a simple solution, but they’re barely even a solution at all. They’re caustic and harmful for your plumbing and health. We’ll get into some reasons why it’s always better to call a plumber in Montgomery County instead of buying these colorful bottles of miracle solution.
Honesty is the best policy, and we’re going to be honest—chemical drain cleaners are a bad idea.
The Three Problems with Chemical Cleaners
If there were only one or two problems with chemical drain cleaners, we might let them slide. However, time and time again we see these chemicals contribute in multiple ways to problems with our customers’ health, plumbing, and comfort. So, let’s avoid all of that by getting to the point of what makes these so terrible. We’re certain that after you read this, you’ll be steering clear of chemical drain cleaners for the rest of your life!
1. Bad for Your Health
Chemical drain cleaners are bad for your health—period. They’re made of caustic chemicals that release fumes. These fumes can irritate your eyes, nose, mouth, and skin while eroding everything they touch. If you’ve got a sensitive respiratory system, or you’d just like to avoid getting chemical burns and itches, then stay away from these drain cleaners at all costs.
2. Bad for Your Plumbing
Chemical drain cleaners work by instigating a chemical reaction with the materials that are clogging your drain. The hope is that they can disintegrate or dismantle the drain clog using chemical means while leaving the pipes alone. The problem is that this process doesn’t necessarily work. Caustic drain cleaners do erode the lining of pipes and sometimes they don’t dismantle the material responsible for clogging the drain. This is the opposite of what you want, and any solution with that poor of a track record is not worth using.
3. Bad for the Environment
Where do you think these chemicals go when they’re flushed down your drain? Eventually, they end up in your local water supply. Animals, plants, and eventually people will consume these chemicals, causing more harm to your local ecosystem than you can imagine. We’re not saying this to scare you; we’re emphasizing how important it is to be a responsible member of the community. Flushing chemicals down the drain is damaging for everyone.
Call a Plumber
Do you know what’s not damaging? Hiring a trustworthy plumber to clear your drains in a responsible, safe, and effective manner. Plumbers have an excellent track record of eliminating drain clogs and keeping plumbing systems intact. Seriously, call a plumber today if you need help.
Call Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling for your drain cleaning needs.