Why You Should Avoid Chemical Cleaners

What is the first thing you grab when you a drain problem? The plunger? Great first choice! Chemical drain cleaner? Bad choice like more harmful than good bad choice. Chemical drain cleaners are dangerous to use, harmful to your pipes, and pollute the environment. We recommend using only a plunger or call McCoy’s Heating, Air & Plumbing.

Never pair chemical drain cleaner and plungers! If you have a failed attempt to unclog your pipes with a chemical drain opener, be aware: the chemicals are sitting in your pipes. If you then try a plunger, you may draw the chemical back toward you, causing serious burns to your hands, face, and any exposed skin. You can’t put a price on your family’s safety, and this is a problem you want to avoid at all costs.

Chemical Drain Cleaners are Bad for Your Health: The chemicals used to clean your drain are extremely harsh.  Even if you're not combining the chemical with water (which you should never do), the chemicals still release extremely harsh fumes that can be harmful for your health - not to mention the fact that these chemicals can cause major pain (and irreversible damage) if you accidentally splash them on your skin or eyes.

Safer & More Effective Alternatives to Chemical Drain Cleaners: To avoid bringing this dangerous and toxic chemical into your home, there are plenty of environmentally safe alternatives for you to try:

• Boiling water - This works especially well for flushing out grease clogs in the kitchen sink
• Baking soda and lemon juice - 1 cup of each, following with plenty of hot water
• Vinegar, salt, and borax - 1/2 vinegar, 1/4 salt, 1/4 borax followed by hot water
• Baking soda and cider vinegar - 1 cup of each on your drain, following with plenty of hot water

 Chemical Drain Cleaners Can Damage Your Pipes: Chemical drain cleaners are designed to eat away at whatever is obstructing your pipe. While this can clear away the debris that is contributing to your clog, the chemical drain cleaner can't distinguish between debris and pipe. This means the harsh chemicals are eating away at your pipes!  And sometimes the homeowner doesn't realize his pipe is leaking because it's in a wall or under a sink. Then you'll end up with a stinky mess or damage to the structure. Therefore, it will cause your plumbing system to be fix or even repipe which will be a pricey bill.

Chemical Drain Cleaners Simply Don't Work That Well: The truth of the matter is, most chemical drain cleaners don't really work that well for most clogs.  They may help a small clog, sure, but anything too large for a plunger or drain snake most likely requires the professional attention of a plumber, not a chemical bath. Save yourself the headache and the hassle and call a plumber: It will most likely save you money in the long run.

If your drain pipe is clogged, and the plunger doesn't get it out, we recommend you call us. Have any questions about keeping your drains flowing? Need a plumber to provide an estimate or come out to you? That's what we're here for! Call McCoy’s Heating, Air, & Plumbing and we'll help you out!