Keeping Your Plumbing Flowing Smoothly

If you deal with plumbing clogs on a regular basis, you might find yourself struggling with bent wire hangers, chemical drain cleaner, and unfamiliar pipes. Unfortunately, unless you are a trained professional, all of your efforts might be in vain. Most people don't realize it, but it is possible to damage your plumbing by making a few missteps. If you use the wrong chemicals or you push a little too hard, you might end up dealing with damaged pipes or your clogging problem could get worse. Fortunately, you might be able to use this blog to help you to keep your plumbing flowing smoothly.

Why Enzyme-Based Drain Cleaners Are Superior To Chemical Alternatives

Blog

Slow and stopped drains can be major inconveniences to homeowners and their families. This may lead to the temptation of using a commercial chemical-based drain cleaner for relief from their woes.

However, these types of cleaners can cause much more harm than good to the clogged.drain lines. They can also be dangerous to family members or drain cleaning professionals who may be unaware that these chemicals have been used before they begin to use physical means to remove the clogs.

Why Are Chemical Drain Cleaners Hazardous?

Commercial drain cleaners use caustic chemicals which burn their way through clogging materials. They also damage the interior linings of drain pipes over time through the same chemical reactions.

Their capacity for destroying organic matter extends to the flesh of individuals who may attempt to use a plunger or drain snake in an effort to dislodge a stubborn clog after caustic drain cleaners have been used and failed to clear the drain.

A single splash of chemically contaminated water into the eyes or onto the skin of an amateur or professional drain plumber could result in severe chemical burns or blindness, depending upon the area affected and the dilution of the caustic chemicals.

Chemical drain cleaners are also flushed into municipal waster water systems, contaminating local tributaries and groundwater through faults in community waste water pipes.

Why Are Enzyme-Based Drain Cleaners Safer and More Effective Than Chemical Drain Cleaners?

This type of drain cleaner uses natural enzymes that feed on organic matter. They are safe for drain pipes as well as the amateur and professional plumbers who work on them. Enzyme-based drain cleaners, unlike chemical-based cleaners, can also be used on toilet clogs with no harm to vulnerable toilet components.

Enzyme-based cleaners also perform additional duties as they travel along the drain pipes. While they eat their way through clogging agents such as hair, soap, and other materials, they also feast upon the raw sewage and sludge buildup that coats the interior walls of drain pipes over time.

This coating can cause drains to run slow on a continual basis as they narrow the available diameter of the drain lines. This restriction of the drain pipes greatly assists the development of clogs and stopped drains, as few materials are needed to block a more restricted passage through the drain system.

This quality of enzyme based drain cleaners is both a blessing and a temporary curse, because as the accumulated muck loosens it grip on the interior lining of the pipes, it sometimes accumulates and forms its own clog. 

However, a plunger can then be used safely, without fear of possible chemical burns, to dislodge the offending materials and send them on their way.

Enzyme-based drain cleaners cost more than chemical substitutes, but they are still a much better deal because of their safety and long-term effectiveness.

For professional assistance with clearing a clogged drain, contact a company like Coastal Plumbing Inc.

Share

18 January 2018