Clogged drains are a part of life for most Hamilton homeowners. When you have a clogged drain, getting the strongest product to break up the clog is exactly what we want to do. Most of these products, however, will contain chemicals to break up the obstruction and those chemicals are not always the best for you or your home’s pipes.
Here is why chemical drain cleaners could be a bad idea:
Toxic Chemicals Damage Your Pipes
Modern-day piping is usually made up of a material called PVC. Drain cleaners that contain harsh chemicals will clean out the hair, gunk and other build-ups in the pipes, but they will also wear away at the actual material of the pipe.
As this material wears away, your pipes will become damaged, and this could lead to leaking or having to prematurely replace sections of the pipes.
Harsh Drain Cleaners are Harmful to the Environment
Eventually, the substance used to clean out a clogged drain will work its way through the pipes and into the public water system. This means the active chemicals in these cleaners will end up in our lakes and oceans, potentially killing fish and plant life. Additionally, they could evaporate into the air that we breathe.
What if you’ve been using chemical drain cleaners for a while?
We all want a clean home, so using the best products to achieve that is completely understandable. If you’ve been using chemical drain cleaners for a while you may want to call in a plumber to do a quick inspection of the pipes themselves and also the seals connecting each section to the others.
A professional plumber can tell you if there are any problem areas or issues that need to be addressed right away.
Green Alternatives to Chemical Cleaners
As effective as chemical cleaners are, there are many alternatives available – many of them right at home – that will do just as good of a job. For example, baking soda and vinegar will give you a great result for unclogging the drain.
You start by pouring the baking soda down the drain and then the vinegar. Let them sit overnight as it will help dissolve the clogged substance from the drain. In the morning, run very hot water down the drain to wash away the obstruction and the remaining baking soda and vinegar.
Additionally, you could try using a plunger or a drain snake to work the clog loose from the pipe. Both of these tools are great for breaking up an obstruction and will help to relieve the clogged drain.
Using some natural remedies or calling a professional plumber can be much better for you and your home.
Contact Wentworth Plumbing today
If you find that you regularly have clogged drains, getting an inspection from a plumber can help to identify – and resolve – the problem. Contact us today to arrange a drain inspection in the Hamilton region.