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For many people, picking up a drain cleaning product at the supermarket is a lot more convenient than scheduling drain cleaning service when there’s a sink or bathtub clog. Unfortunately, there’s some strong evidence that using commercial drain cleaning products can cost you more in the long run. Today, liquid drain cleaners constitute an industry that’s worth billions of dollars. Commercial drain cleaners line shelves at supermarkets, hardware stores, and home improvement stores and, of course, they’re available for purchase online. Although they may seem like a convenient option when you’re struggling with a kitchen sink clog at your home, they’re actually not a good solution.

When you need drain cleaning, it’s always better–and safer–to contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth. We don’t rely on commercial drain cleaning products that can damage your pipes. Our plumbers are licensed and experienced. They can quickly resolve most typical drain clogs in no time. If there’s a more serious problem at hand such as a damaged pipe, our plumber can repair or replace it.

While many people know that commercial drain cleaners contain hazardous ingredients and don’t always work, they may not realize just how bad these products actually are for their plumbing system and the environment. Once you learn the truth about commercial drain cleaners, you may be more inclined to contact us for professional drain cleaning service at your Mansfield, TX, home too.

It’s $4. How Bad Can It Be?

Most standard-size commercial drain cleaning products are priced under $10. Unfortunately, these products, regardless of their price, contain highly toxic ingredients that can be harmful to your health as well as harmful to your pipes. First, be sure to understand that there are three main types of commercial drain cleaners:

• Caustic drain cleaners
• Acid drain cleaners
• Oxidizing drain cleaners

They all feature active ingredients that are highly intensive. Some of the ingredients present in these cleaners include sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, bleach, and lye. Each of these ingredients can pose a health hazard.

Of course, many people see the warnings on the product labels and proceed to use the products. Unfortunately, emergency rooms all over the country can attest to visits that involve these products. ER visits associated with commercial drain cleaners may involve splashbacks of the product into the eyes, hair loss on skin, burnt skin, and even respiratory complaints. No one expects that the product they’re using will splash back or somehow affect their health, but it often does. The potential risk of an injury involving caustic chemicals is often enough to warrant a call to a drain cleaning service instead. In homes where children and pets are present, storing these chemical products is a serious risk that many Mansfield, TX, residents might want to reconsider.

Chemical Drain Cleaners Are Bad for Pipes

Companies who sell drain cleaning products often tout their safety. If you’ve ever purchased one of these products and peel off the booklet labels, you’ve probably blinked at all the fine print. In fact, there are an awful lot of clauses and legal-speak designed to protect the company in the event that the product causes you or your pipes any harm. Using slightly more product than you should could result in pipe damage.

Just as the active ingredients are toxic for people, they’re also not good for your plumbing system. Hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid have the potential to eat through metal. They can dissolve bones. Is this something you want flowing through your plumbing system because of a grease clog? It’s much safer to contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth for our professional drain cleaning service. If you live in Mansfield, TX, and have a drain clog, our drain cleaning service technicians can quickly resolve it so you don’t have to rely on risky products.

Commercial Drain Cleaners Are Bad for the Environment

If the commercial drain cleaning product you use manages to break through your clog, clearing your line, the product’s chemicals will flow on into the sewer system. Most people don’t give this a second thought because the water will be treated, right? What happens if there’s a sewer blockage or a storm and the sewers overflow? Those caustic chemicals wind up in the environment where they can do damage to plants and animals–or anyone who may come into contact with them. These chemicals can also detract from air quality and cause respiratory complaints.

Mixing Drain Cleaners Is Even More Dangerous

When one product doesn’t work to clear the line, maybe a different one will? More than one resident in Mansfield, TX, has tried using a second drain cleaner when the first one proves ineffective. Mixing chemicals in these products can be disastrous. Pipes can be severely damaged and toxic fumes can back up into the home. It’s so much safer to let a drain cleaning service tackle stubborn drain clogs. When you contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth, we can send a plumber to your house to quickly inspect the clog and provide the ideal drain cleaning service.

Tell a Plumber If You Used Drain Cleaners

Many people will attempt to clear their drain clog with a commercial drain cleaning product only to discover that it doesn’t work. Then, they’ll contact a drain cleaning service. Just as those toxic chemicals can cause problems for household occupants, they can be harmful to your plumber too. Be sure to tell a plumber if you’ve used a drain cleaning product before contacting the drain cleaning service. If they need to plunge or remove any pipe sections, they need to be aware that there are toxic chemicals involved in the job.

The plumbing pros of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth will take precautions when dealing with clogs where drain cleaners may still be sitting in the pipe. Of course, our plumbers will use other means to dislodge your drain clog when visiting your Mansfield, TX, home. Augers and hydro jetting offer a chemical-free way to provide drain cleaning service that’s much safer for your plumbing system and household.

How Do Commercial Drain Cleaning Products Work?

The active ingredients in drain cleaning products typically produce heat to burn away the clog in the drain. Organic matter often breaks down quickly when exposed to high heat near boiling temperatures. When the clog is too stubborn or is immovable because there is actually pipe damage or even tree roots growing in the drain, those active ingredients will sit in your pipes–and continue to be active. These chemicals can be corrosive to your pipes, weakening them.

Your plumbing system is a major asset for your Mansfield, TX, home. You don’t want to allow these caustic ingredients to sabotage your pipes, leaving them brittle and prone to leaks. When you contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth for our drain cleaning service, you won’t have to worry about the threat from caustic chemicals.

What About Enzyme Drain Cleaning Products?

Many companies have noticed how many consumers are interested in purchasing green cleaning products for their homes. Enzyme drain cleaners are often marketed as safer alternatives to traditional commercial drain cleaners. While they may not contain the same level of harmful or toxic ingredients as those commercial drain cleaners, they’re also not known to be especially effective at clearing stubborn drain clogs. Many drain cleaning service professionals have found that these enzyme cleaners may be beneficial for helping maintain clean drains, but they’re not so good at resolving drain clogs. Be wary about product marketing when purchasing any liquid or powder drain cleaning product for your Mansfield, TX, home.

Contact Your Drain Cleaning Service

Although Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth rates will necessarily exceed that $4 bottle of drain cleaner, our methods of performing drain cleaning service are safer for your household’s occupants, your plumbing system, and the environment. When you contact us to alert us of a clog, we can send a licensed plumber to your home to perform our drain cleaning service.

Our plumbers may use an auger to snake your drain or may use hydro jetting equipment to provide drain cleaning service to clear your line. If our plumber suspects a hard water issue, hydro jetting might be the best solution as it can loosen mineral deposits in your line that leave pipes more narrow and prone to clog formation. If the clog is near the sink, a plumber might elect to use an auger to clear the clog.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth outfits each of our drain cleaning service pros with all the tools and equipment they need to serve our customers safely and efficiently. They know what type of technique to use depending on the clog at hand.

What Happens If the Clog Won’t Budge?

Sometimes clogs don’t respond to an auger or hydro jetting. This usually means that there’s a different type of problem going on. There’s a good chance that a section of the pipe has collapsed or is damaged and is preventing the free flow of water. In such instances, your pipe needs repair rather than mere drain cleaning service.

Our plumber can use an inline camera to determine where the broken pipe has occurred. Then, they can make the necessary repairs. The repair may be extensive simply because of where the damaged pipe is located. Sometimes flooring or sections of wall must be cut away so the plumber can access the affected pipe. Unfortunately, all the liquid drain cleaners in the hardware store won’t solve that problem. However, you can rely on our plumbing professionals to tackle this type of job.

Prevent Stubborn Drain Cleaners

As homes and plumbing systems age, it may not be possible to ward off a broken pipe situation here and there. Clogs can add to the wear and tear that pipes face, so it’s best to try to prevent them. Some people prefer to have drain cleaning service performed periodically to ensure that small buildup in the pipes never develops into a severe blockage.

By keeping your pipes clean, you may never be tempted to purchase and use a corrosive drain cleaning product. Here are some other tips you can use to help prevent drain clogs from forming:

Use Drain Screens

By screening your drains, you can block debris like food particles and hair from entering the drain. These items are notorious for causing drain clogs. A small item here and there might not seem like a problem until these small items add up to one stubborn clog. Remember, when there’s grease and oil in the line, items like food particles and hair can get stuck in them. As the muck hardens and builds, it can become a very stubborn clog. Soap residue can also add to the sticky mess.

Drain Grease Somewhere Else

The sink may seem like the most convenient place to drain cooking grease, but it’s not worth the risk to your plumbing system. Come up with an alternative plan for disposing of cooking grease, oil, and fat. Some of the most stubborn drain clogs involve these materials. As these liquids sit in the drain, they will turn into sludge and then harden. The subsequent buildup can make it difficult to clear the clog. Large clogs can also damage pipes.

If you have a clog that won’t budge, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth for our drain cleaning solutions. We won’t use commercial drain cleaners; they don’t work well and they’re bad for your pipes. We’ll rely on more effective methods that are altogether safer for your home. Call us if you need plumbing repairs or other plumbing replacements. We offer a full lineup of professional plumbing services.

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