Listen, we know that a clogged drain isn’t fun or friendly. If you’ve got blocked drains, leaving them can turn to disaster.
Whether it’s a monster hairball, uneaten veggies, a failed bread-making project, coffee grounds or something else entirely, we know you just want to get rid of it ASAP.
But the truth is, those fast-acting, grease-battling, life-changing drain cleaners are actually doing more damage to your home or business’ plumbing system than good – and here’s how.
Store-bought drain cleaners are going to destroy your pipes
And we’re not just talking about your own body’s pipes, more on that later. As plumbers, we’ve seen the fallout of repeat drain cleaner usage for years.
We’ve faced every issue under the sun, from corrosion and sudden burst pipes to underground water leakage and brittle, weakened plumbing systems.
For most people, when they hear the word ‘drain cleaner’, they get visuals of a quick burst of bubbles in the sink and then free-flowing pipes.
The reality is that the acid in store-bought drain cleaners isn’t just clearing your plumbing system, it’s also wearing down the finishing, making your pipes thinner and more brittle.
And in just a short period of time, this can lead to issues like cracked or burst pipes, underground water leaks and potential damage to walls and ceilings in your property.
They aren’t just bad for your pipes either, they’re bad for your body
Home and business owners work with so many cleaning products these days that it’s pretty easy to skim over those red and yellow warning signs on the front.
You’ve used them before, you know the drill, you put on some gloves, avoid contact with the skin, wear some eye protection and get on with the job.
But…have you ever stopped to think about why you need to go through such an intensive process just to use a cleaner?
It’s because these solutions, like toilet and drain cleaner, contain some seriously dangerous ingredients, like Sulfuric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide and Hydrochloric Acid.
These all have the same potency as battery acid. Meaning that introducing them into your home and using them regularly puts you and any other bodies in your home at risk.
Store-bought drain cleaners are a temporary fix to a bigger problem
If you’re finding that your plumbing system is repeatedly impacted by blockages, there are bigger things at play than someone who’s just washing too many things down the sink.
Drain cleaner is designed to eat away at the first blockage the acid meets, so if there are issues with the actual structure of your plumbing, or a larger blockage further down, it will not resolve it.
In these situations, it’s likely a professional is needed.
After all, a lot of the equipment used for blockages is so expensive and intricate because there’s a lot more to this problem than just a build-up of hair or food.
Consider yourself eco conscious? Not if you’re using store-bought drain cleaner.
Believe it or not, the environmental impact of store-bought drain cleaner is often the nail in the coffin for a lot of people.
When the acid from a store-bought drain cleaner hits the blockage in your plumbing system, it doesn’t just disappear. It continues to drip down with the remnants of the blockage.
This means it then continues to flow down, through your plumbing system and out into groundwater, lakes, rivers and oceans.
And this doesn’t just impact you and your swimming and activity areas either, ecosystems, flora and fauna can all be destroyed as a result of store-bought drain cleaner run off.
Click here to read our blog on three ways to clear blockages from your shower drains – we even offer a solution for those who prefer drain cleaner that is a more environmentally friendly option.
So, if store-bought drain cleaners isn’t the solution, what is?
The team at Salmon Plumbing are available around the clock to support the Brisbane region with their plumbing problems and enquiries.
If you need help, simply dial 07 3826 2600 at any hour of the day and our team will pick up the phone and organise the assistance you need.
For more at home plumbing tips, or to learn about Australia’s plumbing history, click here to read the Salmon Plumbing blog.
