Don't Use The Quick Fix--Avoid Using Chemical Drain Cleaners
There is only one reason to use a store bought chemical drain cleaner and many reasons to not use chemicals at all. Just the number of arguments alone should tell you something about chemical cleaners. The one reason to use a chemical cleaner is convenience. Such cleaners are readily available on the shelves of almost any grocery store. This makes the chemical option appear to be a quick and easy system to clean your drains. The first reason for not using the chemical route is children. If you have any toddlers in the home at all avoid the storage of chemicals of any type. Children are curious and want to mimic their parents. Keep such caustic cleaners out of reach of children. Even better, don’t have them in your home at all. There is also the danger for the person administering the chemicals. Many of these chemicals call for the person applying them to wear goggles, gas mask, and protective gloves for a reason. They are dangerous to apply.
The secondary reason for not using chemical drain cleaners is the hidden cost. Repeated use of such cleaners will cause harm to drain pipes. This will lead to very high costs for drain repair or replacement later. Drain leaks caused by chemicals are especially damaging, often spraying chemicals directly onto support structures beneath the home. Remember, these chemicals are not only damaging to pipes, but to everything they touch.
There is also the environmental argument. These caustic chemicals do not break down quickly. Though, if we were to take into account the ratio of the chemical diluted by the amount of water used in a single application we would find it not to be especially dangerous, the accumulation over years of use in a community can be damaging to the water environment. Even today California is beginning to suffer from the overuse of chemicals, including drain cleaning chemicals.
Chemical drain cleaners may seem like an instant fix, but the cost down the road leads to considerable damage to the pocket book and, perhaps, even to your children. Think before using chemicals. Call the experts first.
Dealing with a bothersome clog in your Orlando home? Call Shamrock Plumbing today at 407-292-8881 for immediate solutions!
