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Blogs from March, 2019

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Why To Use Biological Drain Cleaners

You’ve probably heard it dozens of times before: don’t use chemical drain cleaners. It may seem repetitive and mundane, but there’s truth to the reason why—chemical drain cleaners are so harsh they can actually eat through your pipes themselves, resulting in leaks, cracks, and even complete and total corrosion that can do tremendous damage to your home. So when most people hear about bio drain cleaners, they often think it’s just another way of saying the same thing—a chemical product which eats away at your pipes and will only cause even more expensive damage to get rid of a clog. Let us be the first to tell you this actually isn’t true. Unlike chemical drain cleaners, biological drain cleaners do nothing harmful to your pipes, which will save you a fortune down the line.

Bio drain cleaners are a completely different product, and one we happily endorse as an ideal maintenance regimen for homeowners. If you have a stubborn clogged drain, or you simply want to avoid a drain clog in the future, these products could be exactly what you’re looking for, and they’re completely safe to use in your home. In this blog, we’ll discuss how bio drain cleaners work and how they could actually benefit your home.

What They Do

Bio drain cleaners may appear to be similar to a chemical drain cleaner. They’re sold in a plastic jar or bottle, you pour both down your drain, and both claim that they can get rid of that pesky clog that’s backing up your sink, shower, or tub. However, these two substances share almost no similarities beyond that.

A biological drain cleaner doesn’t use a caustic or highly-acidic material to eat away at clogs, causing them to dislodge. Instead, a bio drain cleaner uses a specially-engineered type of beneficial bacterial to clean your drain. This type of bacteria is completely and totally harmless to humans and pets—you could eat the stuff if you wanted and nothing would happen. However, when it comes to cleaning drains, there may not be a better technology on the market today.

This special bacterial works so well because it is specifically designed to consume organic material, such as what’s found on the inside of your pipes. As the bacteria grow, multiply, and spread, they not only take care of the clog you’re dealing with in your drain, but can then spread throughout your entire plumbing network. Once they consume all of the organic matter in your plumbing, the bacteria die and are washed away with the rest of your wastewater. Pipes are not composed of organic material—they’re usually made of metal or plastic which the bacteria can’t consume. As such, these bacteria do no damage to your plumbing whatsoever, and you won’t risk eroding or corroding the inside of your pipe walls. Instead, when you wash away the bacteria after the last treatment, your pipes should be clean and clear, free from clog-causing debris and waste lining the walls.

Where to Get Them

More and more home improvement stores are starting to carry biological drain cleaners because they’re so much better for your home. They may be a little more expensive that the caustic drain cleaners, but the extra cost is well worth it when you consider the preventative nature of these treatments as well.

However, it’s important to note that many of these drain cleaners you purchase from your local hardware store are not the same as the ones that your plumber will use to treat your drains. The ones sold at your home improvement warehouse will have a lower concentration of bacteria, which means they won’t do quite as much with a single dosage. Eventually, they’ll do the same job, but it will take more treatments to yield the same results. Plumbers often have the industrial-quality products which are extremely concentrated, yielding the best results in the fastest amount of time.

How to Use Them

To clear a drain:

  1. Wait until the drain has completely receded and dried out to the best of your ability (do not run water into the drain beforehand).
  2. Place the biological drain cleaner directly down the drain.
  3. Repeat step 2 for three days to completely remove the drain clog.
  4. Empty a half-cap of the material into your drains once per month to keep your drains clear.

To learn more about biological drain cleaner options, contact us at (901) 290-1110 today!

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