Every home gets a clogged drain from time to time. You may think that the simplest way to take care of these clogs is to buy a bottle of the liquid drain cleaner that’s widely available at grocery, hardware, and drug stores. But in the long run, it’s actually better to call a plumber and invest in professional drain cleaning services. Why? Here are three important reasons you shouldn’t be using liquid drain cleaner in your home:
- Chemical Cleaners Are Highly Toxic
The chemicals that liquid drain cleaners contain (especially those in expensive, off-brand cleaners) are highly toxic. This shouldn’t be that surprising, when you think about it; any product that promises to dissolve hair or food particles in your drains probably isn’t something you want to inhale or absorb through your skin. These chemicals are bad for the environment, too, and can end up harming fish and wildlife if they enter the water supply.
- Chemical Cleaners Damage Pipes
The same ingredients in drain cleaners that supposedly clean drains can actually end up damaging your pipes, setting you up for more expensive plumbing repairs in the future. Chemicals such as hydrochloric acid will eat away at your pipes, as well as any other fixtures you happen to get the solution on.
- Chemical Cleaners Don’t Always Work
The bottom line is that even if you’re willing to ignore the above downsides for a quick fix, a drain cleaner might not even provide you with that fix. What appears to be a clog may actually be a broken pipe or a problem further along the sewer line, and liquid cleaners won’t affect these at all. So if a simple plunger doesn’t fix the problem, it’s probably time to call your plumber for a more accurate diagnosis and professional solution.
Will you be calling local plumbers for a quote next time you end up with a clog, now that you know these facts about chemical drain cleaners? Join the discussion.
