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The time a plumber told me to stop using chemical drain cleaners and I argued with him for 10 minutes
I used to swear by Drano for slow drains, used it like once a month in my bathroom sink in my house off Central. Then a plumber came out to fix a leak under the kitchen sink and saw the bottle under there. He told me that stuff eats away at the pipes over time, especially the older cast iron ones we got in ABQ. I laughed and said it was fine, I had been using it for years. He showed me a section of pipe he pulled from another job that was all pitted and thin, right where the cleaner sat. That got me thinking, so I stopped using it cold turkey about 6 months ago. Now I just use a snake and some hot water, and my drains actually seem to flow better. Has anyone else had a pro tell you to ditch something you thought was totally fine?
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rileyellis17d ago
My buddy down in Las Cruces swore by that liquid fire stuff for years. Had a plumber out to fix a clog and the guy pulled a chunk of pipe that looked like swiss cheese, all eaten through from the inside where the chemical sat. He had to replace a whole section of his main line, cost him over a grand. Switched to a simple drain snake after that and hasn't touched the stuff since.
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elizabethn5617d ago
Your buddy got off easy, some folks end up having to replace the whole line when that chemical eats through the joints. A good drain snake and a little elbow grease will save your pipes and your wallet every time. Stick with the snake and skip the drain cleaner, your plumbing will thank you later.
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