Why You Should Avoid Store-Bought Drain Cleaners

Clogged drains are, unfortunately, a pretty common occurrence. Chances are that sometime throughout your homeownership, you will deal with this problem yourself. The default solution is to rush off to a hardware store and purchase either a chemical drain cleaner or a device such as a drain snake.

In most cases, however, this can end up being a huge mistake. Store-bought drain cleaning solutions simply do not measure up to professional Salt Lake City, UT plumbing services—especially not chemical drain cleaners. There are many reasons you should choose a professional and avoid store-bought solutions, such as:

  • It’s a Temporary Solution: Store-bought drain cleaning solutions take a “one size fits all” approach to plumbing solutions—using have measures that do address a lot of different clogs, but only partially. These solutions can fully resolve the problem that led to the clog in the first place. Professional plumber have access to higher end equipment that they are specifically trained to use. This include video camera technology to determine the nature of the clog, and tools such as mechanical drain snakes to thoroughly clean out the clog and prevent it from reoccurring.
  • You Can Damage Your Plumbing: If you do not know how to properly use a drain snake, then you can easily scratch up your pipes. As for the liquid drain cleaners, these contain caustic chemicals that eat away and corrode the metal sides of your plumbing pipes over time. Our professional plumbers move with more care and utilize solutions that will not damage anything and will in fact help your plumbing to function even better.
  • Professional Solutions Are Comprehensive: As we mentioned, store bought solutions temporarily address a clog. Professional solutions, however, can strike at clogs throughout the length of the pipe, meaning they will eliminate clogs that are just beginning to form. This gives you an extra layer of protection against the problem, and helps ensure that you won’t need to worry about clogs in the near future.

Can I Prevent Drain Clogs in the First Place?

Sometimes clogs happen no matter how much we try to avoid them, but yes, there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of this happening to you and your plumbing system. It’s all about what you allow to go down your drain! For instance:

Kitchen Plumbing: There are a number of items that homeowners put down their drain without giving it a second thought, but can actually do a number on your plumbing system. For instance, FOG (fats, oils and grease) harden as they cool, while traveling through your pipes—and therefore can cause a pretty significant clog, eventually. Other items you shouldn’t put down your kitchen sink for this reason include coffee grounds, rice, and pasta. These are food items that expand when water is added, and therefore can build up into a nasty mess.

Bathroom Plumbing: Do you have kids? Goodness do we know what can go down your toilet as a result. Small toys, too much toilet paper, etc. etc. While you can’t always completely control that, there are still some preventive measures you can take to avoid other types of clogs. For instance, you can get drain covers for your bathroom sink and shower that allow water to filter through, but not hair or large soap particles. This way, your drains are more protected.

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