When the water in a sink just is not going down the drain, and you need to be able to get things moving quickly, you may attempt to turn to a chemical product like Drano, which is toxic enough that it causes the material to be flushed away. However, it is also dangerous to use because of the damage it creates to the lining of your plumbing system. Contact our Kingman, AZ plumbing services today to learn what to use instead.
Why We do Not Recommend the Use of Drano-Like Products
Any type of Drano-like product, including any clump-busting product, is highly toxic and works by causing a chemical reaction that eats away at the substance that is located within the pipes, limiting the flow of water through it. That may seem like a good thing, but just as it breaks down those clumps, it is also damaging the interior lining of your pipes. That type of damage is going to be much harder to fix and more expensive to handle.
Another factor is that Drano is very bad for the environment. The chemicals within these products are dangerous to have in your home, too, especially if you have children and pets who could be exposed to them. It is also bad for the groundwater in your area, where the water drains after it makes it down into your sewer system.
There are various formulations of Drano on the market, and some promise to minimize any damage to your pipes themselves. However, whether or not they contain lye or caustic soda or not, they are dangerous chemicals that you do not need to use to keep the drains in your home moving well. In fact, there are some natural alternatives that are safer and just as effective to use in most cases.
Try These Natural Solutions for Cleaning Your Drains Instead
There are likely some products in your kitchen and pantry that can be very helpful in moving material through your pipes. It takes only a few minutes to gather them and use them to create a magic-like cleaning solution. In reality, it is just the use of science that helps these products wash away anything that is clogging your drains.
For example, mixing baking soda and white vinegar together can help to create a sizzling effect that helps to dissolve material built up in the interior of your pipes. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of baking soda into the drain or on the top of the drain you wish to clean. Then, pour in about a cup of white vinegar to watch the bubbling action work and start to break up what is in there.
You can also use boiling water to help dissolve clumps of material, a solution that is very helpful in the kitchen where grease build-up is a common cause of dangerous situations and clogs. Boiling water, with a few drops of mild dish detergent in it, poured down the drain can create an excellent, penetrating clean to these surfaces. You may have to repeat it several times to get the best results.
When the Trouble Is More Invasive and Stuck
There are some situations where these methods may not work because the material clogging the drain is too significant and is not able to be broken down easily, such as a clump of hair. In this case, a good starting point is a plunger. Plungers work by creating air movement that helps to dislodge material caught in the drain and does not cause any damage to the system as a result.
You can use a plunger in the drain of a sink, toilet, or most other drains in the home with a bit of care. Simply position it over the opening and pump it up and down several times to create that force of air that works to dislodge material stuck within it. Then, rinse the drain to get everything moving again.
You can also rent and use a snake, which is a metal device that will move through the drain and latch onto any material clogging it. Over a period of a few minutes, the snake can loosen a great deal of debris, hair, and other material from within the drain and allow it to safely be removed. Snakes take a bit of practice to get right, but they are some of the best solutions for removing larger, stubborn problems with ease.
Call Out Your Plumber When Conditions Warrant It
The fact is, Drano is not a safe option, but any of these other methods can be a bit tricky to get right (and messy as well). As a result, it is often best to turn to a licensed plumber to get the drains and lines moving smoothly again. This process helps ensure that you do not do more damage to the plumbing lines by using a snake improperly or using the wrong cleaning agents.
Our team at Plumbing by Jake is ready to work with you on this concern. Not only will we get to the problem and determine how to get whatever is clogging the drain out, but we can also troubleshoot to figure out a solution to prevent it from occurring again. Sometimes, a new retrofitting of an old pipe is all it takes.
There are many cases when drain lines need to be flushed properly to allow them to work well. Allowing our team to jet your lines can help to prevent any type of blockage from ruining your weekend. If you have had drain problems in the past, let our team offer this service to you today.
Schedule a Consultation with Us Now
Plumbing by Jake is available and ready to help you today with any type of plumbing concern you have, including slow-moving lines. The sooner you call out our team, the faster we can help to get your drains working again (and you will not have to buy another container of Drano again!) Call us now for an estimate.