How not to treat your drains: By using store-bought chemical drain cleaners!
Trust us, we get it. One of the most frustrating, and unfortunately one of the most common, problems to deal with in households today is a clogged drain. And reaching for a bottle of that store-bought stuff is easy, right? But there’s a problem–these “solutions” can actually be doing more harm than good.
Why Store-Bought Solutions Are No Solution At All
It may seem like a drain cleaning chemical you can pick up from any grocery store or hardware store would be the easiest way to unclog a stubborn drain. However, they don’t work as well as you’d think.
The reason for this is because they’re comprised of a number of chemicals that can only dissolve certain types of clogs, like hair. Other common blockages such as mineral buildup from hard water or grease from food particles are there to stay, so to speak.
Chemical liquid cleaners may not do anything but push these types of clogs further down into the drainpipe, causing a bigger hassle than before. And this isn’t the only reason you should avoid them!
There’s also toxicity to consider–the chemicals in these solutions are highly caustic meaning they may be harmful to your health and the health of your plumbing system overall. They eat away at the lining of your plumbing pipes until you find yourself facing corrosion or potentially even a pipe rupture.
Are There Any Home Remedies for Clearing a Drain?
For superficial clogs–that is, clogs that are near the surface of your drain–you might be able to just use a plunger and a little “elbow grease” to clear the drain. Perhaps you even have a drain snake at home (though, we do encourage you to be very careful when using these as it’s easy to push the clog down further or even damage your pipes).
And as far as cleaning your drain–it doesn’t have a clog but it’s pretty smelly–yes there are home remedies. Add about 1/2 cup of baking soda to your drain, and follow it up with a cup of vinegar. You may notice it bubbling–give it about five minutes, and then pour boiling water down the drain.
If all your drains are stinky though, it’s a sign that you may have a sewer line leak. This needs to be checked out by a professional Tracy, CA plumber.
If your problem is bigger than what a plunger or baking soda can remedy, then it’s time to give us a call! Our methods accurately pinpoint your drain clog and effectively remove it.
- Video Pipe Inspection: This is when we use a microscopic camera at the end of a cable to look as deep as possible into your drain lines to see where a blockage is and what is causing it.
- Motorized Drain Augers: Professional-grade drain augers allow our plumbers to reach further down into your pipes and break up tough clogs and blockages.
- Hydro-Jetting: This involves the use of a long, thin hose to blast water into the pipes and clear away clogs, in addition to any debris that may be in the pipes too. It can even be used to clear away tree roots that have infiltrated your sewer line!
DeHart Plumbing, Heating, and Air Inc. is your trusted resource for Modesto plumbing services. Contact us today!