Hmmm . . . Let me think about that one for a minute. Okay, I thought about it. The quick answer is ‘NO,’ and if you are like me, you are wondering “Why not?” After all, Liquid Plumber and Drano have been around for years, so it must work, right?
Let me share a few things with you.
If Liquid Plumber and Drano work so well, why won’t you find either of them in a Professional Plumbers service truck? We get a lot of calls for clogged drains in Myrtle Beach and I can tell you we do not carry any chemicals whatsoever to treat clogs. A professional drain cleaner is your best bet when you have a clogged drain.
The main reason is that harsh chemicals can damage your pipes and there are better ways to clear a drain without risking damage to your plumbing. Store shelves are stocked with all sorts of chemicals claiming to clear virtually any clog. What we have found is that when someone purchases a chemical to attempt to clear a drain line on their own and it does not work, since they have already invested time and money, they will go back to the store and buy another brand and/or chemical altogether. This is when a DIY job can go terribly wrong.
Unless you are a chemist, you should not be mixing chemicals! Mixing the wrong chemicals can lead to a visit to the emergency room. Some drain cleaners contain hydrochloric acid and others contain sodium hypochlorite (bleach). When these chemicals are combined, they create chlorine gases. Chlorine gas has been used as a weapon in chemical warfare.
You can read for yourself the story of a man who accidentally mixed these two chemicals while trying to clear his drain. http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2010/05/02/why-you-should-never-mix-two-kinds-of-drain-cleaner-together/
If you are interested in what others are saying about this subject, this may be of interest to you as well http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-so-is-it-wrong-to-put-draino-and-such-down-the-drain.
If you just cannot help yourself and attempt the chemical route without success, when you do call a Professional Plumbing Company like Fogarty & Fogarty Plumbing Co., Inc. PLEASE let them know that you have poured chemicals down the drain. This is important for several reasons. Mainly, the plumber will take extra precautions prior to working on the drain to protect himself from chemical skin burns and most importantly his eyes. If the water with chemicals accidentally splashes into a plumbers eyes, the reaction and result could require immediate medical treatment.
One other thought to consider. If cabling becomes a necessity, depending on the chemical in your pipes, you will be charged an additional charge because chemicals are involved. This is not done to punish you. Chemicals that can eat away at pipes will also eat away and cause damage to our cables.
I hope this information is of use to you. Just knowing how dangerous mixing chemicals is may save you from an unfortunate mishap.
