Is Drain Cleaner Bad for Pipes in Hillsdale, NJ?

Whether you own a home or run a business in Hillsdale, New Jersey, you probably have to deal with the occasional drain clog. Since drains never pick a convenient time to clog, it makes sense to want to address clogs as quickly as possible. Enter liquid drain cleaners.  

You see them on TV, online, and on billboards. These drain cleaners claim to clear just about any clog almost instantly.   

Are these claims true? Is drain cleaner bad for pipes? As top-rated certified plumbers in Hillsdale, NJ, the Gladiator Services crew delves deeper into pipe safety and drain cleaners.

 

Keep reading to understand the impact of drain cleaner on pipes and tips on using drain cleaner responsibly.  

Are Drain Cleaners Safe for Pipes?  

Drain cleaners promise an easy and instant solution to clogged or slow-moving drains. However, if you have PVC pipes in your Hillsdale home, using these corrosive products barely yields satisfactory results. 

Despite their ease of use and abundant availability in stores in and around Hillsdale, these often cheap products can cause extensive or irreparable pipe damage. What may seem like a quick fix may eventually turn into a costly pipe repair or replacement.  

How Drain Cleaners Work  

Most drain cleaners essentially burn or eat through organic matter responsible for blockages. These solutions quickly break down build-ups of hair, soap scum, or human waste into smaller pieces that can move through the pipes seamlessly.  

So, is drain cleaner bad for pipes? Unfortunately, the same corrosive action that breaks down and clears clogs can harm your pipes. Whether you have brand new PVC pipes or aging copper pipes, most corrosive drain cleaners will harm your pipes.  

Most of these drain cleaners contain sodium hydroxide, which creates heat as it attempts to clear clogs. When the sodium hydroxide generates excess heat or your plumbing system sustains the heat for too long, your PVC pipes may start disintegrating.

Before you know it, you’ll have punctured, warped, or melted pipes with structural weakness issues.

Are Drain Cleaners Effective?  

The risk of pipe damage from drain cleaners increases significantly when the drain cleaner you choose doesn’t work on the clog. In such cases, the chemicals themselves and the resulting heat stay in a stationary location within the pipe.  

Once you pour a drain cleaner into a clogged drain, you can’t effectively flush it out unless you manage to move the related blockage.  

Harmful Effects of Drain Cleaners in Hillsdale, NJ

Is drain cleaner bad for pipes? Unfortunately, trying to push a partially dissolved blockage through your plumbing system makes matters worse by forcing the problem deeper into the pipes. 

Moreover, letting the chemicals and backup remain in the same location invariably causes extensive damage.  

Using drain cleaners on a stubborn clog presents additional risks. Suppose you try to plunge a drain after adding a chemical drain cleaner; you risk injuries ranging from skin burns to eye damage, including blindness.  

Some of these chemicals produce toxic fumes that can cause respiratory harm when breathed in for extended periods.  

When To Use Liquid Drain Cleaners  

Drain cleaners may work well for minor clogs. However, if you want to use a drain cleaner, choose an enzymatic rather than a corrosive drain cleaner. Many of these enzymatic drain cleaners rely on natural enzyme activities and select strains of bacteria.  

When used in blocked drains, the enzymes break down the molecules in the trapped organic matter until they become small enough for bacteria to consume. However, this process takes some time.  

If you choose the enzymatic drain cleaner route, prepare to have an out-of-commission sink, commode, shower, or bathtub for a while. 

Unfortunately, some of these enzymatic drain cleaners still contain the potential pipe-damaging component—sodium hydroxide, albeit at much lower concentrations than their chemical counterparts. 

Now that you can answer the question, “Is drain cleaner bad for pipes?” you want to hire a competent Hillsdale plumber for your drain cleaning needs. An expert will do the job professionally and know how to avoid major drain cleaning hazards. 

Safe Ways To Clear a Blocked Drain in Hillsdale  

If you have a blocked drain and believe the blockage stems from compacted organic waste, an appropriate plunger could clear the clog. Use sink plungers in basins, showers, and tubs, and toilet plungers exclusively in commodes.  

A drain snake or pipe auger can also access and break up a clog, provided it’s within reach. Don’t use excessive force to avoid damaging the pipe and hire a professional if you need help.

If plunging or snaking proves ineffective, call your local Hillsdale plumber. Inefficient drain cleaning techniques might worsen the clog by pushing it further down the line or causing pipe damage.  

Preventive Drain Maintenance  

Prevention remains the cheapest and most effective way to avoid clogs and protect your pipes. Consider the following drain maintenance tips:  

• Watch what you put down the drain.  
• Throw all cooking grease in the trash.  
• Cover your drains with drain guards.  
• Flush only toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Even “flushable” products can clog your drains.  
• Pour hot water down your kitchen and bathroom sink occasionally to flush potential blockages.  

Contact Gladiator Services for Your Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning Needs in Hillsdale, NJ  

Hillsdale boasts plenty of plumbing and HVAC contractors from which to choose. Don’t just hire anyone for your plumbing needs. Trust Gladiator Services for top-tier solutions. 

As a well-established local company, we understand many of the issues Hillsdale residents face. Our crew has the specialized knowledge, experience, and skills to provide premier plumbing and HVAC solutions. 

Need an expert to help you prevent pipe leaks? Look no further. We strive to deliver lasting repairs and installations to all our residential and commercial clients.  

Besides using the latest technology and equipment in our services, we aim to be the only service provider you have to contact.  

Call Gladiator Services at (201) 419-6090 to schedule service in Hillside, NJ, or nearby areas throughout Bergen County. Reach out for more information on the question, “Is drain cleaner bad for pipes?”