When you get a clogged sink or shower drain, the first instinct is often to pull out a bottle of liquid drain cleaner and pour it down the opening to meet that clog head-on. After the recommended waiting time has passed, you’ll flush away the bubbles and hope that whatever was blocking your drain has been removed. It all seems so easy, but here at Garvin’s Sewer Service, we’re the first to tell you that using those liquid drain cleaners is rarely the wisest solution. In fact, there are a lot of problems with taking that approach.
While they seem like an inexpensive solution to unclog drains, there are three very important reasons why homeowners should not be using liquid drain cleaners in their sinks and showers.
#1 Drain Cleaners Are Toxic
The simple reality about liquid drain cleaners is that they are made from a combination of abrasive chemicals that have high toxicity levels. While this is true for nearly all liquid drain cleaners, it is especially true for the generic-brand versions, which are less expensive precisely because they take less care in ensuring they are entirely safe to use. Fumes from these chemicals are not safe to inhale and could also irritate your eyes, nose, and throat.
Even worse, that toxicity has a negative impact on the environment. Once they are flushed down your drain, they end up mixing unnatural chemicals with the water as it gets washed away. Even worse, the residue from the bottles may end up in landfills, where they can contaminate soil and nearby water sources.
#2 They Can Damage Your Plumbing Pipes
The same chemical reactions that are working to break up the clog in your sink could also do some serious damage to the drain itself. The main compound in many cleaners is hydrochloric acid, which is infamous for eating into pretty much anything it touches. The more liquid cleaners you use, the more your pipes and drains are exposed to this harmful chemical that could, over time, eat through the pipes and leave you with a much more expensive problem on your hands.
#3 They Don’t Always Work
Perhaps most frustrating of all, these products don’t always do the job they are supposed to do. Sometimes the backup is a result of a bad sewer line or broken pipes, so pouring chemicals onto the problem won’t do a lick of good. If there’s even a small chance that the problem may be bigger than what a liquid cleaner can solve, it’s best to just call in a plumber to approach the issue in the most sensible way.
Trust a Plumbing Professional
Knowing all this, please call Garvin’s Sewer Service the next time you find yourself with a clog in one of your drains. Our professional plumbing repair service will make sure that we get rid of the clog in a way that is safe for the environment, safe for your plumbing, and—perhaps most importantly—truly effective.
Don’t waste any more of your money on liquid drain cleaners. Instead, call the professionals and make sure you unclog your drains the right way.