Dirty, clogged drains in your Marietta, GA home are a nuisance. They most frequently occur in the kitchen and bathroom sinks but can also show up almost anywhere you have plumbing. Most people want to get rid of the clog as soon as possible, so they head to the store for a quick, inexpensive fix in the form of a bottle of chemical drain cleaner.
You probably don’t give a second thought to pouring these caustic mixtures down your drains. However, they are deadly in more ways than one and something you should avoid at all costs. Before you head off to the store for a bottle, consider the following reasons for avoiding them.
WHY CHEMICAL DRAIN CLEANERS ARE DANGEROUS
Some homeowners have a clue about this fact but ignore it anyway or figure it won’t matter if they only use a chemical cleaner occasionally. These cleaners commonly come in liquid, foam, gel, powder, and crystal forms. They all work similarly by reacting with clogs to generate gas and heat.
Commercial chemical drain cleaners typically have high-intensity ingredients like bleach, lye, peroxide, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. You’ll find three general categories: acid cleaners, oxidizing cleaners, and caustic cleaners. All contain high levels of at least one of the aforementioned ingredients. Caustic drain cleaners have a pH level of 12 to 14, which is the highest end of the scale. They are very harmful to humans. Acid cleaners have a pH level of 0 to 1. If you endure too much exposure to these substances, they can be highly damaging.
DANGER TO PLUMBING PIPES
Commercial chemicals burn through clogs, but they will also expose pipes to heat and gas. The worst damage occurs when they fail to clear the clog quickly, especially if you have PVC soft pipes or an older plumbing system more susceptible to leaks. Old seals and fittings can begin to corrode. Clogs can also develop from loose joints or tree roots invading pipes. Chemicals can’t remedy these problems and may remain in those areas, slowly causing damage and even bursting the pipes. This problem is more apt to occur with acidic cleaners that can dissolve many metals and other substances.
DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT
What you put into your pipes eventually enters the environment at large. These substances can contaminate groundwater and drinking water supplies and are harmful to animals and people. They poison fish and wetland animals when they enter waterways and eventually poison birds and beneficial insects.
Chemicals can also damage your septic system. Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, is highly caustic, eating away at organic material essential for septic systems to function properly. Sulfuric acid is also common, damaging enzymes that break down waste in septic tanks. These substances can eventually leach out into septic fields.
TOXICITY TO HUMANS
Virtually all of the chemicals in commercial drain cleaners are quite toxic to humans. Many ingredients release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), significantly affecting air quality. VOCs pose a danger to people in your home. One particular problem happens when bleach comes into contact with other household cleaners if you pour both products down your drain. Bleach is highly corrosive and can damage your eyes. Combined with ammonia, it can create chlorine gas, which can be fatal if inhaled in sufficient quantity. These cleaners can also pose a carcinogenic risk when inhaled.
Noxious fumes that these cleaners emit can also affect your respiratory health. Short-term effects include inflated lung tissue and upper airways, making it painful to breathe and resulting in coughing or sneezing. Long-term lung function may also suffer in a way similar to what heavy smoking does.
The ways chemical cleaners can harm health are extensive and unpredictable. Swallowing drain cleaner can cause diarrhea, vomiting with blood, severe abdominal pain, shock, and even death. The damage can continue for weeks and lead to various complications in the esophagus and stomach, including perforations anywhere in the digestive tract.
ARE THERE ANY SAFER HOME ALTERNATIVES?
Natural remedies for clogs are always safer. You may be able to eliminate clogs with the following two solutions:
HOMEMADE CLEANERS
A popular alternative for clearing drains and making them smell better involves two common household ingredients. A combination of baking soda and vinegar can often unclog a blockage. Mixing these two substances causes a powerful but quite innocent chemical reaction, and the mixture will fizz, pushing debris out of its way. Allow it to do its work for about 10 minutes, and follow it with a pot of boiling water. The hot water should flush everything on down.
ENZYMATIC CLEANERS
Enzymatic cleaners also offer a benign alternative. Ask the professionals at Garrett Mechanical for advice on which ones are best. These cleaners are safe for homeowners to use because they work to break down potential clogs in your plumbing but won’t hurt your pipes or you. They may take longer to work but offer significant benefits in the long run.
WHAT ARE OTHER SAFE PROFESSIONAL ALTERNATIVES?
Although you can attempt other resolutions, many of these, such as using snakes, can damage your plumbing if you don’t know how to use them. Many advanced solutions are better left to professionals so you can keep your plumbing intact. Additionally, professional solutions are also environmentally friendly. Consider the following:
SNAKE DRAIN CLEANING
Although you can attempt this on your own, if you don’t know how to use one, you can damage your plumbing. Our plumbers at Garrett Mechanical know how to use this tool most effectively to reduce and eliminate slow drain problems in a wide range of plumbing fixtures.
HYDRO-JETTING
This is one of the most popular and effective methods of cleaning your drains. This modern form of clearing pipes uses high-pressure water streams to remove clogs. The solution utilizes a powerful nozzle linked to a system that pushes water at strengths of up to 35.000 PSI. The sheer pressure of this unclogs drains. It can clear all obstructions, including food, hair, grease, residue, and mineral deposits.
SPIN CASTING
Spin casting is a powerful method that professional plumbers use to handle blockages like tree roots, sludge, and grease. It is similar to snaking but expands on the concept by blasting holes through the blockage.
SECTIONAL MACHINES
These devices also use a spinning action to scour pipe interiors. The machine drives a cable into the pipe, allowing it to go around bends to remove clogs easily.
A PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE PROVIDING A RANGE OF HOME SERVICES
If you are seeking a contractor that can handle a variety of home mechanical systems, Garrett Mechanical can do it all. We have seasoned HAVC technicians, plumbers, and electricians who can take care of all types of issues related to plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling. Our services include installation, repair, and maintenance of all those systems, and they’re provided by a team that genuinely cares about you and your home.
Contact our office in Marietta today for a consultation on drain cleaning or other plumbing issues, or to schedule an appointment for repair or replacement of your home’s heating, cooling, or electrical system.
