Are Drain Cleaners Safe For My Pipes?

May 04, 2023

Dealing with a clogged pipe is certainly an unpleasant experience and can quickly ruin your day. This goes double when the clogged pipe is preventing the toilet from flushing properly. How will you even use the bathroom? The first thing that most people try is using a plunger. If that wasn’t effective, using a drain cleaner is another option. However, you should carefully consider whether a drain cleaner is the best choice in your case.

What Is a Drain Cleaner and How Does It Work?

There are many brands of drain cleaners available on today’s market. One thing they have in common is that they all contain potentially harmful chemicals. Drain cleaners do their job by attacking materials responsible for the clog, as they’re often held together by oil, fats and grease. Once these materials have been corroded enough by the drain cleaner, they can become loose and flush down the drain. Once this happens, many would believe that the problem has been fixed. But there are cases where it was simply postponed instead. The grease, fat and oil that was originally responsible for the clog could still be in the pipe and begin to build up again down the pipe.

Potential Hazards Associated With Drain Cleaners

The clumps of fat, grease and oil that were freed by the product will be sent further down the drain. While they may clear the pipe completely and end up in the sewer, there’s a real possibility that these materials will clog up the pipe once more. However, you should know that clearing a pipe become a lot more difficult that further down the clog is located. If pipes need to be cut, clearing the clog can become quite expensive.

Drain cleaners come with yet another hazard: they have the ability to corrode metal pipes. Using a powerful drain cleaner several times in a row has the potential to corrode an entire pipe system. This would require lengthy and costly repair work.

How You Can Avoid Major Repairs

Servicing residential plumbing should only be done by experts, but there are things that you can do to keep an eye on your system’s condition.

You should be aware of where your pipes are located, especially those that are outdoors. This will help prevent accidental damage to your pipes. Don’t perform home improvement or yard work if you’re not sure whether there’s a chance you’ll come into contact with a pipe that is buried underground.

Keep an eye on the condition of your hot water tank and if possible, upgrade to a tank less system. Replacing a water tank is one of the most expensive plumbing jobs, so it’s better to avoid having to deal with an unexpected replacement. Another issue is that a leaking tank can flood your home and cause extensive damage.

Be sure you know where your main water shut off valve is located. Should you be unfortunate enough to have a burst pipe, you’ll need to know how to cut off the water supply immediately. Don’t wait until you’re dealing with a plumbing emergency to try to find this valve.

Finally, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Yes! to receive the best plumbing service.

Contact Us

If you’re dealing with a clogged pipe and aren’t sure whether using drain cleaner is safe, it’s always a good idea to contact a professional. We have more than 40 years of experience offering high-quality drain cleaning services in Salt Lake City. You can reach us by calling 844-216-9300 or by using the contact form on our website.