Everyone has had the experience of turning on a faucet only to see that the sink or tub drain is starting to back up. You stare in disbelief and wonder how you can correct this issue without calling in a plumber. Then you recall seeing that commercial for the miracle clog remover. Just a jug of that magical mixture will clear any drain clog. Or so the announcer claimed. So you make a mental note to grab a jug when you head to the store. But is this really the answer? Or are you opening Pandora’s box of plumbing troubles?
The Truth About Chemical Drain Cleaners
As the name for this group of products states, these liquids are a chemical cocktail that can do severe damage to your drain lines. And that includes eating entirely through the pipe. Even the packages that claim they are safe for use in your home have line after line of micro type warnings on the back of the jug. Things like never allow it to contact your skin and call the local poison control if it happens. That sounds like anything but a safe solution to be pouring down your home’s drain lines.
You will see names like hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide when you read more closely. These are all caustic materials that the manufacturer hopes will eat away the clog or part of it before destroying your drain pipe.
If you continue to read the instructions, you should flush with hot water after letting the chemicals do their thing. But when the chemicals do not remove the clog, which most don’t, you have no way to flush away the chemicals. So they continue to create heat and try to gnaw away at the clog. But in most cases, they melt through your drain pipe first. And all this happens while your home is filling with more caustic chemical fumes. This is not how to save yourself the cost of a plumber’s visit or get your drain clog removed in five minutes or less.
Safe Solutions
If you are determined to try a few DIY processes, make it one of the following pipe safe options.
- Hot Water: Try pouring a large pot of hot, but not boiling, water down the drain. Follow that with a few minutes of cold water. The hot water will melt grease-based clogs, and the cold water will wash away the culprit.
- Baking Soda And Vinegar: Before bedtime, pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar. Let the bubbles work overnight, and then flush the drain with hot water in the morning. This is also a great cleaning process to add to your chore list once a month to remove foul odors and the early stages of sink clogs.
- Plumbers Snake Or Auger: These are tools that can be inserted into the drain to break up clogs without damaging your pipes. They are inserted, twisted, and then removed to pull the remaining pieces of the clog out of the drain.
Call In A Professional
If your DIY attempts have failed, the best option is to call (214) 388-4525 to schedule a professional drain cleaning. The pros at Metroplex Leak & Line use only a very high-pressure water jet to blast away clogs and residue. And when the process is completed, your drains are free of clogs, nasty odors, and there are no lingering toxic chemical fumes in your home. We are here 24/7 for emergency clog removal and drain cleaning, and we offer appointments in the evening and on weekends.
