At Grasshopper Heating & Cooling, we want to let you in on an industry secret: your professional plumber hates when you use liquid Drano and similar chemical drain cleaners. Homeowners increasingly ask, “Is Drano bad for pipes?” The short answer is yes. These substances can corrode PVC pipes and other parts of your plumbing system.

However, the effects of liquid plumber products go beyond potentially costly repairs. Find out why our plumbers advise against using them below.

Why Is Drano Bad for Pipes?

Drano is a brand of liquid drain cleaner that breaks down clogged material in household drains. It contains lye or sodium hydroxide which effectively dissolves organic matter trapped in a clogged sink. Other brands might add sulfuric acid to their formulas to quickly break down blockages.

However, the way it works can damage pipes, septic systems, and drains by:

• Corroding PVC or plastic pipes by melting the materials.
• Melting plastic components in your kitchen or bathroom sink.
• Destroying the delicate ecosystem responsible for breaking down waste in your septic system.

If you use Drano or similar chemical cleaners to combat a clogged drain, consider other drain cleaners that have less harsh effects. After all, your preferred chemical solution might damage more than your plumbing system.

Other Reasons to Avoid Pouring Chemical Drain Cleaners Down Your Bathroom Sink

Chemical drain cleaners wreak havoc on the environment. When Drano exits your septic system or municipal sewage system, it infiltrates the local water supply. It can make its way into natural bodies of water or subterranean fresh water.

Its corrosive composition kills countless organisms, from helpful bacteria and fungi to aquatic plant and animal life. These disastrous consequences jeopardize local ecosystems, disrupting the delicate food chain that balances native flora and fauna populations.

Unclogging Drains While Protecting Your Plumbing System

What alternatives can you use if Drano is bad for pipes and wildlife? You might be surprised at the household products you have on hand to combat a clogged toilet or bathtub drain. Discover some easy, safe DIY methods to unclog and clean your drain pipes below.

Drain Snakes

You can purchase a drain snake from almost any retailer with household cleaning products. These long, pronged tools are your first line of defense against a blocked kitchen drain. Once you notice standing water collecting in a plumbing fixture, insert the drain snake into the drain opening.

Push it as deep as you can. The prongs will snag the offending material and pull it up when you remove the snake.

Boiling Water

This option is readily available and perfect for your kitchen sink. Sometimes, grease, fat, and other food particles harden against your drain pipe, forming a blockage. An oily or greasy clog dissolves after you pour hot water down the drain.

Dish Soap

Liquid dish soap gently lifts grime, grease, and organic matter from inside toilet bowls and sink drains. While many people only use it for hand-washing dishes, it also doubles as a multi-surface cleaner and safe yet persistent plumbing solution. Use it sparingly if you have a septic tank, as it may kill helpful bacteria populations.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Remember the volcanic science project from grade school? This remedy applies that fun, nostalgic activity to household problems. First, pour boiling water into the blocked drain.

Then, shake one or two cups of baking soda into the fixture. Follow up with an equal amount of vinegar. Voila!

Baking soda and vinegar have additional benefits, such as:

• Whitening and brightening your toilet bowl.
• Deodorizing your garbage disposal.
• Cleaning your dishwasher or washing machine.

Both ingredients are must-haves for your household maintenance duties.

Contact Grasshopper Heating & Cooling for More Stubborn Clogged Drains

Is Drano bad for pipes? Unfortunately, this popular product isn’t just bad. It’s the worst.

Use our drain cleaning recommendations instead. If you encounter a clog you can’t defeat, call 518-545-3271 to schedule plumbing and drain cleaning services in Clifton Park, Albany, and the surrounding areas with Grasshopper Heating & Cooling.

The last thing you want to deal with as a homeowner is an unexpected and inconvenient plumbing problem. From burst pipes to clogged toilets and leaky faucets, a lot of things can go wrong with your plumbing system. Plumbing issues can vary widely in terms of severity. But you always want to detect them as soon as possible.

A minor problem that you ignore can quickly turn into a major issue. So, how can you detect plumbing problems, and what should you do next? We’ll explain everything you need to know.

How Can You Find Plumbing Problems in Your Home

Problems like a burst pipe leaking water all around your home are obvious. But other plumbing issues aren’t as apparent. The key to minimizing water damage is catching and fixing the problem as early as possible.

How? Here are a few tips for finding potential problems in your plumbing system before they have a chance to become something worse.

Keep an Eye on Your Monthly Water Bill

Your water bill could tell you if there’s a problem. You should check it every month and keep an eye out for any unexplained or drastic increases. An increase in your water bill points to an increase in the amount of water your different plumbing fixtures use. So, if your bill increases without a change in water usage, it could mean that you have a leak somewhere in your plumbing system.

Look Out for Any Slow or Clogged Drains

Slow drains can be annoying and a sign that something is clogging your plumbing pipes. You can fix this issue without professional help in some cases. For instance, if you just have one slow-draining sink, you can fix the leak by removing the drain cover and pulling out the clog.

However, the clog is likely somewhere deep within your plumbing system if you have multiple slow-draining fixtures throughout your house. Only a professional plumber can safely and effectively remove this type of clog.

How Do Professional Plumbers Detect and Fix Different Kinds of Plumbing Issues in Your Home?

The above tips can help you detect common plumbing problems early. But you’ll still need a professional to find the actual location of the issue and provide a reliable solution. Professional plumbers use a lot of innovative equipment to inspect plumbing systems.

For example, sewer camera inspections provide an in-depth look at your pipes. Meanwhile, hydrojetting uses highly pressurized water to clear away deep, stubborn clogs without damaging your plumbing system. Professional plumbers also know what repairs to deliver so that you get a long-lasting and reliable solution that restores your plumbing system.

Get the Plumbing Repairs You Need By Reaching Out to Grasshopper Heating & Cooling Today

Are you dealing with a clogged drain or sump pump failure? Is your water bill a lot higher this month, and you’re not sure why? Need a plumber that you can trust?

No matter what plumbing issues you’re dealing with, we’ve got your back. Call (518) 240-3807 today to schedule a plumbing inspection with Grasshopper Heating & Cooling! Trust us to help.

You might be ready to enjoy endless carefree summer days, but plumbing problems don’t care what season it is. While you might not have to worry about frozen pipes bursting during the summer, there are other issues that often appear at this time of year.

Here, we highlight some of the most common summer plumbing repairs and how summer plumbing maintenance can help you avoid issues that need professional attention.

Seasonal Plumbing Issues Local Homeowners Face

Chances are your home’s plumbing system sees more use (and wear and tear) during the summer when the kids are out of school, you have more family gatherings, and you spend more time outdoors and use more water. While anything can go wrong at any time, it’s more likely that you’ll need the following plumbing repairs during summer:

1. Clogged Toilets

Toilet clogs top the list of common summer plumbing repairs since it’s likely your toilets will see more usage during this busy season. The frequent flushes can put more pressure on internal components, and when you have large parties, there’s a greater chance that guests will cause clogs. Not to mention, summer heat and humidity can speed up corrosion and mineral accumulation in the toilet pipes, resulting in clogs and leaks.

2. Sewer Backups

As with toilets, extra usage can cause sewer clogs and backups. Heavy summer rains can also overload the sewer lines and cause a backup into your home. Arrange a professional inspection and sewer line cleaning at the beginning of the summer to ensure the pipes are clear and you won’t have any problems.

3. Washing Machine Troubles

Summer vacation often means more laundry, and your washing machine has to work hard to keep up with all the extra dirty clothes, beach towels, and swimsuits. All this extra wear and tear can weaken the hoses, seals, and hinges, and clogs are always a risk. Keep an eye on the machine and call a plumber for help if you notice excessive vibrations, strange noises, or drainage issues.

4. Slow and Clogged Drains

Slow and clogged drains are common plumbing problems in summer because there’s a greater chance that your family will send things down the drain that don’t belong there. Rinsing off the excess dirt and sand after a day outside, for example, can block the drains. Food waste, fats, grease, oil, and hair can all stick to the pipe walls and cause clogs, so use drain traps to stop them.

5. Dishwasher and Garbage Disposal Problems

Dishwashers and garbage disposal problems frequently require warm weather plumbing repairs, usually due to clogs. Overloading the dishwasher and not adequately scraping food debris off the dirty dishes is the most common cause of dishwasher clogs, while grease and large food waste lead to disposal malfunctions. Only put as many dishes as the washer can handle into any load, scrape food waste into the trash, and never pour grease down the drain.

6. Sump Pump Malfunctions

If you have a sump pump to keep your basement dry, a heavy rainstorm can cause flooding if the device malfunctions. Sump pump malfunctions are common summer plumbing problems, usually due to a lack of maintenance. Allowing dirt and debris to accumulate around the pump and power failures are the most frequent issues, but you can avoid them with maintenance and testing.

7. Sprinkler System Issues

Plumbers often have to respond to problems with sprinkler systems in the summer. Leaks, damaged sprinkler heads, timer malfunctions, and water pressure fluctuations can all affect the lawn irrigation system and potentially damage your home or send water bills skyrocketing. Professional maintenance, including properly winterizing the system at the end of summer, can keep this from happening.

For additional assistance with lawn irrigation, lawn care maintenance, outdoor pest control needs, or other lawn care services we highly recommend our friends over at Groundhogs Lawn Care!

8. Faucet and Pipe Leaks

Leaks can happen any time of year, and summer is no exception. Metal pipes and fittings expand and contract in the heat, and humidity can speed up corrosion and cause leaks.

Proactively addressing these common summer plumbing repairs is the best way to prevent expensive damage. If you hear running water or dripping sounds, notice water stains or moisture around fixtures, or experience a sudden increase in water bills, call a plumber for repairs.

Call Grasshopper Heating & Cooling for Summer Plumbing Solutions You Can Trust

Watching for plumbing problems and taking care of them quickly is the best way to prevent damage and inconveniences that dampen your summer fun. Turn to the plumbers at Grasshopper Heating & Cooling in Clifton Park, NY for fast and common summer plumbing repairs. Call (518) 240-9889 to make an appointment.

When a sink or shower drain develops a clog, your first thought might be to reach for a bottle of liquid drain cleaner to break up the blockage and get the water flowing again. However, before you do, you should be aware of the effects of liquid drain cleaners on your plumbing and your health, as you might think twice about this seemingly simple solution.

Many homeowners ask, “Do liquid drain cleaners damage pipes?” when we caution them against picking up a bottle to deal with minor clogs. Damaged pipes are just one of the many liquid drain cleaner concerns, which we’ll explain here.

How Do Liquid Drain Cleaners Work?

To understand the impact of drain cleaners on pipes, it’s important to understand how these products work.

All drain cleaners create heat to break down the blockage in the pipe so water can flow freely. There are three primary types of cleaners:

• Caustic, which contains lye or potash that reacts with aluminum in the water to heat the blockage and speed decomposition.
• Oxidizing, which contains bleach and nitrates that dissolve the clog.
• Acid, which contains high amounts of hydrochloric and sulfuric acid that eat away at the hair, soap scum, and grease that make up the clog.

Although these ingredients can effectively remove some of the pipe blockage, as you might expect, the chemicals contact more than whatever is clogging the pipe. They also touch the walls of the pipes, which begs the question, “Do liquid drain cleaners damage pipes?”

The Risks of Liquid Drain Cleaners

Whether your plumbing pipes are metal or PVC, there is a risk for drain cleaner pipe damage if you use commercially available products to clear clogs. Not only can the caustic chemicals eat away at the pipes, but the excess heat that they create can soften the pipes (especially PVC), putting them at risk for a leak. The longer they remain in contact with the plumbing, the greater the impact of drain cleaners on pipes.

Not only do you create the risk of pipe corrosion from drain cleaners, but the products can react with existing corrosion and cause unexpected issues. For example, the excess heat can crack the joints and seals in the plumbing and cause leaks. Drain cleaners can also damage fixtures like toilets, especially if they are old and already have deterioration or damage.

While drain cleaners can damage your pipes, they also create other risks to your family’s health and well-being, including:

• Unpredictable chemical reactions with chemicals or substances in the pipes can create toxic fumes.
• Environmental damage if the chemicals leach into the groundwater; even the bottle itself contains toxic residue that can harm the environment when it goes into the landfill.
• Physical injuries due to splashback or otherwise coming in contact with the caustic chemicals; in some cases, a chemical reaction when the product contacts the clog can cause the cleaner to blow back from the pipe and cause injury.

Alternatives to Using Drain Cleaners to Eliminate Clogs

Given that the answer to “Do liquid drain cleaners damage pipes?” is “yes,” what can you do to deal with pesky clogs that doesn’t involve as much risk to your plumbing or health?

The easiest and safest way is to use a plunger, which puts additional water pressure on a clog to change its shape so it can flow freely down the pipes. A drain snake or pipe auger is another option for breaking up the clog and removing it.

If these methods don’t work, or you have repeated stubborn clogs, get help from a professional plumber. A professional drain cleaning ensures complete clog removal the first time, without damaging the pipes or putting anyone at risk.

Relying on a plumber instead of a bottle of harmful drain cleaner means not having to deal with bigger, messier, and more expensive plumbing issues in the future. A plumber can also help you figure out what’s causing the repeated clogs and find ways to avoid them.

Call Grasshopper Heating & Cooling for Help with Clogs and Other Plumbing Concerns

The next time you have a clogged sink and think about picking up a bottle of drain cleaner to clear it, remember that if you were to ask a plumber, “Do liquid drain cleaners damage pipes?” they would say, “Yes.” Unless you want to cause more problems, put the bottle back on the shelf and contact Grasshopper Heating & Cooling for help instead. Call (518) 545-3271 to request a plumber at any time in the Clifton Park, NY, area.