Why Gilberts Homeowners Should Stop Using Liquid Drain Cleaners

Liquid drain cleaners promise a fast inexpensive remedy for a clogged drain, which makes them an attractive solution for many homeowners looking to fix a clogged drain without the hassle and cost of needing to find a local plumber. However, the promises on the bottle don’t effectively warn you about why you should avoid them!

Let’s take a look at why chemical drain cleaning solutions are a bad idea to use on your home plumbing:

They’re Toxic

Liquid drain cleaners use caustic chemicals to break apart the organic matter buildup that causes clogs. For that reason, they’re dangerous to use because if they come into contact with your skin, they can cause serious burns or even blind you if they get splashed in your eyes. If you use a chemical drain cleaner, you need to be very careful and should wear protective coverings for your hands and arms as well as eye protection to guard against splatter. 

Believe us! Many professional plumbers have scars from skin burns that have resulted from trying to unclog stubborn sinks and toilets that homeowners previously poured liquid drain cleaner down. We’re the professionals, which means we take the proper precautions, and even we have times when we get hurt working around these kinds of chemicals.

They Can Damage Your Pipes

Because liquid drain cleaners contain serious chemicals they can wreak havoc on your pipes. The chemicals can cause pipes to thin and become brittle, making them more likely to break. You may not see the effects of this right away, but over time you’re likely to experience more plumbing problems after using these types of cleaners. In fact, in older homes where liquid drain cleaner was used repeatedly, you’re likely to see areas where pipes have become thin enough that the pipe itself has warped over time and changed shape.

Save yourself the headache (and bigger bill later on)! Don’t weaken your pipes by using chemical drain cleaner! Instead, opt for chemical-free solutions for minor clogs and call in an experienced local plumber for really serious clogs.

They Don’t Always Work

If liquid drain cleaners always worked, then you might be able to justify the risk to your body and your pipes, but the truth is that they definitely don’t work 100 percent of the time. These kinds of cleaners are really designed to tackle less serious clogging agents like toothpaste buildup and soap scum. They’re not meant to tackle more serious things like heavily hardened grease or clumps of hair. So, while they might remove some of the clog, they don’t necessarily remove all (or even most) of it. And on top of that, they don’t actually pull the clog out, they just break it into pieces and force those pieces further into your home’s pipes. To truly bore through and remove it all safely, you’ll want to utilize the services of an experienced Gilberts plumber.

A plumber will have the specialized tools needed to remove things like cooking grease in kitchen sinks and hair buildup in bathroom sinks and showers. Licensed plumbers will remove the debris before it can get pushed further down into your pipes, creating even worse clogs over time.

Before you pour a bottle of cleaner down your drain, give us a call at 1 (800) 674-9130 and we’ll have someone out as soon as we can to get your clogged drain taken care of right the first time.