We can answer this question quickly: never.
But you probably want a more detailed response than that. Because liquid drain cleaners are so prevalent, available on the shelves of every grocery store, it’s difficult for homeowners to accept that professional plumbers do not use nor recommend such cleaners to handle drain clogs or any other plumbing task. You don’t have to take the plumbers’ word alone: the U.S. EPA advises against the use of chemical drain cleaners because of their toxicity and potential to harm the environment.
There are better and safer ways to have drain cleaning in Bergenfield, NJ. BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc. offers extensive drain cleaning services: if you need a clog removed, or if you want complete drain cleaning done, contact us.
What’s so awful about liquid drain cleaners?
We’ll start with the big issue: they are highly toxic. The primary ingredients of standard liquid cleaners you find in grocery and drug stores are lye and sulfuric acid. Not only is this mixture potentially lethal to swallow, but it produces toxic fumes that will cause skin burns and blindness. Using these liquids on your pipes puts you at risk because the fumes will remain in the air long after you pour the chemicals down the drain.
If you noticed the word “acid” above and thought, “Wow, that can’t be good for my pipes,” you’re correct. Although the acidic chemicals can chew through clogs, they can also chew through pipes. Drain cleaner tends to gather in the p-trap of a sink (the curved pipe directly beneath the drain) and eat away at the interior lining of the pipes. The damage caused isn’t worth it: rely instead on a plumber who uses safe drain snakes or BioSmart Drain Treatment.
Finally, liquid cleaners are damaging to the environment. Toxic residue remains in the bottles even after they are “emptied,” and this will end up in landfills. Seepage of chemicals into the ground can lead to poisoning the environment and toxins entering the water table.
You have much better options for drain cleaning
Whenever you encounter a clog, first try using a sink plunger to push it through. These plungers can handle most smaller clogs. If the plunger doesn’t work, call for a professional plumber to use safe techniques to clear the clogs.
If you have persistent clogging in your home, consider scheduling full drain cleaning services. BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc. offers the superb BioSmart drain treatment system that cleans your drains without harming them, you, or the environment. Look to us for your Bergenfield, NJ drain cleaning needs.
