Are Enzyme Drain Cleaners Safe For Drain Cleaning Service? | Helotes, TX
The comfort and functionality of your home depend on the efficiency of parts like your HVAC system, electrical system, and plumbing network. Unfortunately, most homeowners do not consider the working of their plumbing, especially the drainage system. Once a professional drain cleaning service company completes installing the system, its health and working becomes an afterthought. For example, when experiencing a clogged sink, most homeowners opt for their off-the-shelf bottle of chemical drain cleaner. They produce dangerous fumes, which risk the health of those in the house and can corrode the drain pipes. Fortunately, you can use enzymatic drain cleaners to deal with clogged drain pipes in your home. But are enzyme drain cleaners safe?
What Is an Enzyme Drain Cleaner?
Enzymatic drain cleaners, like chemical cleaners, are solutions that will help you with the drain cleaning service in your home. But unlike traditional chemical cleaners, these cleaners comprise enzymes and bacterial cultures that dissolve the structure of organic matter. In addition, these cleaners inhabit your drain system with healthy bacteria from the enzymes and bacterial culture after breaking down the organic waste in your drains. Therefore, even after the unclogging process, your pipes retain enzymes which help them stay clean. Notably, enzymatic drain cleaners do not have caustic chemicals; therefore, they do not corrode the drain system. Hence, they are more conducive and better for the overall health of your pipes.
Why Should You Not Use Chemical Cleaners?
The significant advantage of chemical cleaners that make them so popular in drain cleaning service routines is that they have proven to unclog sinks effectively. Once these cleaners are disposed of into the sink, working only takes minutes. However, these cleaners have some severe impacts that you should consider. For instance, when disposed of in your sink, these cleaners have a corrosive substance capable of eating through the material. Consequently, this damages the entire system, necessitating a whole system change. Therefore, what started as a simple drain cleaning routine will eventually cost you a small fortune to change your drainage system.
On the other hand, due to their composition, these cleaners release toxic fumes once they come in contact with grime, food particles, and dirt. These harmful fumes will put your family in danger when inhaled. They also pose the threat of developing respiratory diseases. In addition, if you do not have the proper attire for the drain cleaning service, contact with your skin can have adverse effects. Notably, during manufacturing, three major types of chemical drain cleaners are made with different working principles. These include;
Oxidizing Cleaners
These cleaners use components such as nitrates and bleach in an oxidation process. During oxidation, heat and pressure build up in the pipes, thus dislodging the waste and clogging the drainage.
Acid Cleaners
Unlike the above two types, acid cleaners use corrosive acidic substances such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. The acid dissolves any material causing the blockage. Of all the three types in the market, this is the strongest, which is why only skilled drain cleaning service professionals use them.
Chemical cleaners can permanently damage your pipes, primarily when used without the proper knowledge or skill. Since they rely on heat, pressure, or a chemical reaction, it is best to consult a professional drain cleaning service before using an off-the-shelf drain cleaning product. Notably, although they are fast and effective, these products kill helpful bacteria in your septic tank, harming its functionality capabilities.
Caustic Cleaners
Caustic cleaners are made differently from oxidizing cleaners. Instead of using the oxidation reaction, these cleaners use lye or potash, which produces heat in the drainage pipes, thus breaking down the organic waste and causing the blockage.
Are Enzymatic Cleaners a Safe Option?
Enzymatic cleaners are a safer and better option for any drain cleaning service, with their top feature being that they have biological culture and enzymes. Therefore, they do not harm drainage pipes or have harmful fumes. They purely rely on biological reactions to break down the components of organic matter in the pipes. Therefore, during the cleaning service in your home, you are assured that your pipes and drainage system are safe.
In addition, enzymatic cleaners can be a great addition to your drainage and sewerage system as they add to the good bacteria. Your septic tank comprises bacteria used in the process of breaking down food. Therefore, an enzymatic cleaner fortifies these bacteria, which further helps your septic tank to maintain its condition longer.
Finally, since these cleaners do not have a corrosive or acid component, they are not harmful to human beings. Although they can still irritate if they come into contact with the skin, they do not cause burns, skin problems, or respirator issues when inhaled. However, it is advisable to have gloves and masks when performing any drain cleaning service in your home.
Disadvantages of Enzymatic Cleaners
Even though enzymatic cleaners are a safer option, it is a drain cleaning service method with many disadvantages worth mentioning. These cleaners are less powerful and faster than chemical cleaners. Due to their composition and operation process, they struggle to deal with mineral deposits and grease clogs. In addition, they take longer to work since a bacterial process takes longer to break down the organic matter than a chemical process. Therefore, when using these cleaners, you must leave them for a few hours before flushing the drainage. Also, enzymatic cleaners have a relatively shorter shelf life because they have active biological agents. Consequently, they are not commonly stocked in many stores as most store owners prefer the longevity of chemical cleaners.
The health of your pipes and drainage system is crucial to the functionality of your house. Therefore, ensuring that the products you use are safe is advisable. Contact us at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio for information on the best enzymatic cleaners in the market. We are ready to serve your drain cleaning needs.
Check our previous blog on this topic here.
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