A clogged drain is something that almost everyone has experienced, and the majority of individuals who have clogged drains and pipes immediately resort to Drano liquid. But is it a good choice?
Many homemakers believe that Drano might relieve the problem but are unaware of the adverse effects of this liquid. Causing severe long-term problems, the professional plumbers dislike Drano as it can cause more harm than good in the long run. Further, leading to expensive repairs that could have easily been prevented in the first place.
The immediate response to this perplexity of using Drano for pipes is a clear “No.” It contains qualities that are unquestionably harsh and detrimental to pipes. To know more about why it isn’t favorable, keep reading the article.
How is Drano Manufactured to Curb Out the Blockage?
A drainage cleaner comprises multiple chemical reactions that occur concurrently while managing aluminum, salt, bleach, lye, and sodium nitrate. Being a lye-based drain cleaner, it is widely used in homes and commercial purposes. When poured down into the drain, it triggers a chain reaction in breaking down and eating the debris away that is clogging in the pipes.
The mixture of Iy and aluminum acts as a catalyzing agent to the reaction in your pipes. There is a solid and rapid boost in the temperature, almost to the boiling point, and hastening the decomposition starts. Finally, the lye forms a soapy substance that dissolves the trapped particle, allowing it to be washed away with water.
Why are Professionals Against Drano?
It is hazardous in terms of its manufacturing material and has an adverse effect on the users’ health.
1. Drano can easily splash out of the sink and burn your skin and eyes if used with other plumbing equipment like a plunger. Because of its violent nature, various chemical reactions might occur that can further have ill effects on your lungs if inhaled.
2. Combining Drano with other cleaning chemicals can result in the discharge of hazardous, poisonous gasses into your home if they remain in the drain. In addition, its intensity can harm plastic and metal pipes.
3. Drano’s impact on toilets can be exceedingly harmful, so you should never use it to unclog a toilet. The truth is that porcelain toilets aren’t usually built to withstand the heat produced by Drano, and this heat could cause your toilet bowl to shatter, resulting in possibly colossal damage.
4. Unfortunately, the corrosive effects of Drano will sit on top of your clogged pipes, reacting and producing extensive heat constantly until the clog is dissolved.
5. The heat can soften PVC pipes, causing them to rupture or collapse, and the adhesive that holds pipes together can eat away owing to its harsh nature, putting a lot of strain on your drains. Further resulting in an unworkable plumbing system and costly repairs. It’s pretty damaging to the drains.
6. Besides this, Drano can eat away at the glue that binds your pipes together while eliminating your clog, potentially creating a costly leak.
7. When Drano leaves your plumbing and enters the municipal wastewater system, it can harm the plants and animals that come in contact. Holding a negative impact on the ecosystem contaminates the local water supply.
What Should I Do Instead of Using Drano?
1. Instead of Drano, it is recommended to use a bell-shaped flange plunger to unclog the toilet. Simple, easy, and straightforward to use, stick the plunger in the toilet bowl and yank it up and down hard until the clog is broken up, and then flush the toilet once. Try using a cup plunger for your kitchen or bathroom sink or other flat surfaces.
2. Drain snakes are an effective way to clear a clog formed near the surface. All you have to do is to uncoil the snake and squeeze it down the drain. With an excessive little effort, it might break apart. Hence, be careful while getting your hands on it to remove the clog.
3. Suppose you have a strong preference for liquids. In that case, several drain cleaners are available in the market that contains natural bacteria and enzymes that will eat away the organic waste and keep the sink and pipe safe.
Can Drano be Used as a Temporary Fix?
In one word- Yes, it can be used as a temporary fixation method but if possible, try not to use it often because of its destructive properties.
Without any doubt, Drano must unclog a clogged sink, and for significant plumbing difficulties, it may only be a band-aid remedy. Still, blockages in the same spot in your home frequently are a severe matter of concern.
Despite the availability of various methods and techniques to clear a stubborn clog, if you are putting your hands on Drano, you are probably taking a risk that can cause catastrophic damage to your plumbing system if you are not aware of its correct usage.
How can I Use Drano without Ill-effects?
The majority of times, the clog tends to reappear if the liquid is poured down the drain without any preventive measure.
1. Remember that it drains in time, which means it is prone to melt your pipes and adds up bills for costly plumbing repairs.
2. To remove the clog from scratch, try not to keep the liquid for more than 15 minutes and flush it out with hot water. For more challenging tasks, allow it for 30 minutes but not more than that.
3. Moreover, prefer not to use it in the toilets. The safer areas to scale the clog are the kitchen sink, shower, bathroom sink, and bathtub.
If you prefer Drano and have heavier blockage issues, it is better to contact a plumber and get a professional repair.
Reached thoughts
Drano is similar to a pain reliever in that it is decided to negatively influence your kidney when you are focusing on getting rid of the discomfort. On the other hand, Drano may clear the clogs but leaves you in a terrible predicament.
If one of the following ways fails to unclog a drain, Total Plumbing can only help. Hence call for a professional plumbing inspection.
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