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Are Home Remedies for Clogged Drains Worth It?

If you are staring down the barrel of a clogged drain, aside from a magic wand, a speedy and inexpensive DIY solution might seem like the next best bet. After a quick google, you’ll be flooded with home remedies, harsh chemicals, and flimsy looking snaking tools. Our plumbing experts at Lange Plumbing & Fire Protection are all for the DIY spirit, however, when it comes to a system as complicated and sensitive as your drains, it might be better to call on a professional.

A small clog can sometimes tell a big story. If you’re experiencing multiple slow drains in your home, it can be a sign of sewer line issues, while other clogs might reveal pipe damage. Today, we’re sharing why a small clog can spell big problems for people who take their drains into their own hands.

Not All Drain Cleaners Are Created Equal

Store-bought drain cleaning products are everywhere, but they aren’t all made the same. In fact, a great number of these liquid cleaners can do more harm than good.

3 reasons to forgo liquid cleaners:

  1. Toxic chemicals:  Don’t be fooled by a low-price tag on liquid cleaners. Many of the most easily accessible cleaners have the harshest chemicals, including bleach, lye, sodium nitrate, and aluminum. If you come into direct contact with these ingredients, they can damage your clothes, burn your skin, and even irritate your eyes and lungs.
  2. Pipe damage:  Harsh chemicals can also spell disaster for your plumbing system. Liquid cleaners have been known to eat away at the finishes of your sinks and tubs as well as corrode pipes both internally and externally; making a small clog turn into a burst pipe.
  3. Ineffective:  Even the most effective store-bought cleaners, when used on their own, will not fully fix a clogged leak. They are designed to “eat” through the clog enough to allow water to pass, but will often leave debris stuck to the drain walls, causing buildup to occur again, and more clogged drains for you. Additionally, if your clogged drain is due to a sewer line issue, you are wasting your money, as liquid cleaner will not be able to help.

Home Remedies Aren’t a Cure-All

If you decide to pass on store-bought cleaners for a more natural solution, you can still run into challenges. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution to clogged drains, which means even effect home remedies can fall flat if used on a problem that calls for something else.

Take the baking soda and vinegar trick. This home remedy has been used for years to bust clogs, despite the fact it doesn’t work on every type of clog. For clogs made up of debris and gunk buildup, this natural combination can work wonders. However, if you have a grease clog on your hands, the baking soda and vinegar will do little more than fizz above the problem.

Lange Plumbing & Fire Protection Can Unclog Your Drain in No Time

Our licensed plumbers have seen hundreds, if not thousands of clogs, so we have the skill, tools, and expertise to accurately diagnose your clog and clean it out in no time. At Lange Plumbing & Fire Protection, we work hard to not only solve your plumbing problems, but educate our customers on best practices to keep their home’s plumbing system running smoothly for years to come.

For drain services that are second to none, call Lange Plumbing & Fire Protection today. Dial (702) 500-0936 or contact us online.

We Get The Job Done Right The First Time

CONTACT LANGE PLUMBING & FIRE PROTECTION TODAY!

CONTACT LANGE PLUMBING & FIRE PROTECTION TODAY!

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