Why is there so much advice online about DIY drain cleaning? Some people are very determined to clean their own drains but usually do not realize that there are some risks which go along with breaking out the baking soda and vinegar. Not to mention that almost no DIY drain cleaning techniques will really work for the long term. Educate yourself on the risks and then decide if it’s worth it to go rent a plumbing snake.
Waste Your Time
Most of the advice about how to clean your drains won’t really work, especially not on significant clogs. We’ve seen all manner of home recipes, including baking soda, vinegar, cream of tartar, bathroom cleaners, lemon juice, acids, boiling water, and more, fail to clear a clog.
Even when they seem to work, most DIY drain cleaning techniques are only temporary. Most simply push the clog further down into your drain. Others will pull the grease off the side of your pipe and add that to the clog. All in all, DIY drain cleaning is typically just a waste of your time.
Make the Clog Worse
When you have a partial clog, or when your sink or tub is draining just very slowly, one of the worst things you can do is try to fix it yourself. Most DIY drain cleaning solutions will, as we mentioned, either add to the clog or push it further down. You can create a complete clog this way. Or you can move the clog further down, where it might impact more than one fixture or might become harder for your plumber to reach.
In a way, even when it works, DIY clog cleaning can also make future clogs worse. You won’t get the benefit of a plumber’s advice about what you’re doing wrong to be causing these clogs in the first place.
Expose Yourself to Chemicals
There are some very powerful chemicals sold as drain cleaners. If you use them according to the instructions, you probably will not harm yourself. But you can definitely use them incorrectly and burn your skin, damage your eyes, and do other harm. You should especially avoid the hazard of using one chemical, finding it didn’t work, and then adding other chemicals to it. Unless you’re a well-versed chemist, you might not realize that you can make toxic substances and fumes with what you are combining.
As a side note, when you pour chemicals down your drain, you should let your plumber know you did it. They will have to wade through the chemicals to get to the clog.
Damage or Burst the Pipe
Chemicals damage your pipes. You can crack or burst your pipes with even DIY solutions. For example, some advice we’ve read tells homeowners to put baking soda and vinegar down their drain and then use the stopper to stop the solution from bubbling up. You can easily rupture pipes this way!
Waste Your Money
When you buy or rent expensive equipment such as drain snakes you might be wasting your money. When you hire a professional plumber in Discovery Bay, or beyond, you’re at least sure the problem will be resolved and you will get a proper drain cleaning done by experts.
