The Dangers of Chemicals and Your Plumbing Drains
You may not think twice about pouring that extra coffee down the drain or rinsing your greasy pans with a little dish soap. After all, what harm can a few chemicals really do? Unfortunately, as it turns out, quite a lot. In this blog, we'll explore how different chemicals can wreak havoc on your plumbing drains—and what you can do to prevent it.
A Formula for Disaster
Pouring grease down the drain is one surefire way to clog up your pipes. But did you know that certain chemicals can actually cause corrosion in your pipes? That's right—the very thing you're using to try to clean your drains could be causing even further damage. Acidic substances like coffee and citrus fruits can eat away at the materials your pipes are made out of, leading to small holes and cracks. Over time, these cracks will only get bigger—and before you know it, you'll be dealing with a major repair bill.
Can Lead to Pipe Corrosion
In addition to causing pipe corrosion, chemicals can also lead to further clogs in your drains. When you pour grease or oil down the sink, it may go down smoothly enough. However, as soon as that hot liquid hits the cold water in your pipes, it solidifies—and gets stuck. So not only do you have the initial clog from the grease itself, but now you've also got bits of soap scum, hair, and other debris clinging to it—making it even harder for water to flow through.
Hard on Health and Environment
Using too many chemicals in your drains can actually have harmful effects on the environment—and on your health. When harmful substances like pesticides and cleaners are flushed down the drain, they eventually make their way into our waterways, polluting them. Not only is this bad for the fish and other wildlife that rely on these bodies of water for sustenance, but it can also have serious consequences for our own health. After all, we rely on these same waterways for our drinking water.