Notes

Chemical drain cleaners: what happens when you use them
View Website may reach for the chemical drain cleaner under your sink the first time you need to eliminate a stubborn plumbing clog. After all, this is just another cleaning product, right?

Not exactly. The following helps you understand how chemical drain cleaners work and what risks they pose for your plumbing and safety.

What is the process of chemical drain cleaners?
The average person may not realize there are two different types of chemical drain cleaners:
Oxidizing
Caustic

To clear clogs, oxidizing drain cleaners do a combination of things. In addition to removing organic material from the clog, nitrates release gases, which help dislodge grease and loosen the blockage.

Caustic drain cleaners use alkaline chemicals to break up hydroxide ions. The ions and chemicals combine, creating heat that creates a sudsy substance.

ARE CHEMICAL DRAIN CLEANERS DANGEROUS?
In contrast to the spray that cleans your stove or the liquid that cleans your toilet bowl, chemical drain cleaners perform potentially dangerous chemical reactions. In my opinion, any substance capable of melting organic matter or creating a lot of heat extremely fast is something you certainly won't want to splash on your face or body. Accidents involving drain cleaners, however, occur every year.

According to a retrospective review:

There are 3000 injuries caused each year in the United States by chemical drain cleaners.

The other third were injured by heat-induced cutaneous burns.
Compounds in chemical drain cleaners that can be harmful
Chemical drain cleaners are particularly dangerous to use because of two ingredients specifically: concentrated sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide.

The liquid sulfuric acid causes charring of wood and most organic materials, according to PubChem. A mixture of this material and water can get very hot, and if you get it in your eyes or on your skin, you can have severe injuries.

Also highly corrosive is sodium hydroxide. As a solid at room temperature, it releases a great deal of heat when dissolved in water. Salt hydroxide can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, as well as more severe problems like hair loss and burns to the skin and eyes.

Is it possible for chemical drain cleaners to harm plumbing pipes?
In addition to posing a risk to your safety, chemical drain cleaners can also damage your home's plumbing. A drain cleaner's caustic substances can gradually destroy pipe material. Despite the drain cleaner's efforts, this damage can occur more quickly if the clog isn't removed.

There are two problems if the drain cleaner fails to remove the obstruction. In your pipe, there is still a clog, and you have corrosive, extremely hot liquid sitting on top of it. Intense heat and caustic chemicals can weaken pipe materials and make them more prone to leaks.

CHEMICAL-FREE DRAIN CLEANING SOLUTIONS
In addition to being safer and better for your plumbing than chemical drain cleaners, professional drain cleaning methods are also more effective at removing stubborn clogs, particularly those located deep in the drains.

In the event of an occasional clog, a plumber can use a drain snake. The method is called snaking or cabling.

The best long-term solution when there are a lot of clogs and buildup in your drains and sewer line is generally hydrojetting. The plumber will guide a hose equipped with high-powered water jets through your drains to blast away blockages and debris with a commercial-strength machine.

Website: https://canduplumbing.com/plumbing-services/drain-cleaning/