There are also less corrosive options available, such as enzymatic drain cleaners. Instant Power Crystal Lye Drain Cleaner 1650. It doesnt matter what type of pipes you have, either: Chemical drain cleaners can damage PVC, galvanized steel, copper and iron pipes. (Important Facts), Can Drano Harm Pipes? Can lye damage pipes? The short answer is yes, drain cleaners can be bad for your pipes. According to George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical, there are three types of liquid drain cleaners. Cast iron can remain in the lye bath indefinitely without damage to the iron. If those dont work, you can always call a professional plumber to take care of the problem. Use a good rust preventing primer before painting. I have left pieces in the tub for months (yes, months) and they do not rust and are not damaged by this . When using lye to open a drain, always read the directions on the product label first. Always add lye to the water and not the other way around! Do not use plastics in the "Other" category, recycling code #7. Copyright All rights reserved. 2. 3. If it fits, it sits. . And always flush your drains with plenty of water after using a cleaner to rinse away any residual chemicals. Depending on how thick the build-up on the piece is, it will take from a few to several days for the lye to soften and dissolve the crud. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Pipes used to distribute drinking water are made of plastic, concrete, or metal (e.g., steel, galvanized steel, ductile iron, copper, or aluminum). Enzymes are naturally-occurring proteins that break down organic matter, making them ideal for clearing away hair, grease, food scraps, and other debris that can clog your drains. For use in kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs, and showers. Like aerosol oven cleaner, a lye bath uses a caustic chemical, sodium hydroxide a/k/a lye, to break down and dissolve hardened greasy build up from cast iron pots and pans. This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. This is your one-stop encyclopedia that has numerous frequently asked questions answered. Lye works because it is caustic and actually dissolves hair and grease, which are the root causes of the drain clog. FREE duct cleaning with the purchase of a full HVAC system. Lye used to be available in the supermarket but not anymore. The excessive roots that accumulate in the drain, sewer pipes, and septic field lines can be killed with a zep root kill. As long as its used properly, lye is generally safe for use in PVC drains. 1. Additionally, if Drano is used too often, it can build up in the pipes and create clogs itself! See LYE in SEPTIC SYSTEMS for details. Scientifically known as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, lye does an excellent job of cutting through organic matter, like hair and other common drain cloggers. If swallowed, lye will burn the esophagus and can cause death. Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Replacing cast iron drain lines is not a simple process. | Als Plumbing Plano Texas, Why Not to Use Drano to Unclog Your Drains Einstein Pros, will lye damage cast iron pipes tunisiaonline.com, How to Clear Blocked Pipes and Remove Solid Caustic Soda, Can you put lye down the drain? At the concentration recommended for cast ironcleaning, it is still a skin irritant and potentially damagingto the eyes. Lye, also called caustic soda and sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make soap. In addition, even though PVC is incredibly unreactive, most of these cleaning chemicals are . Can I Charge My Phone During A Thunderstorm. Heavier than water, lye is a popular chemical often used to clear clogged drains. ~ Sitemap, This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or its affiliates. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail. As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. 2 Can I pour sodium hydroxide down the drain? As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. Bases are the opposite of acids, but just as powerful at dissolving things like hair, grease, and bits of food. Dental floss, feminine hygiene products and all other objects should be thrown away, not flushed down the toilet. Are you wondering if drain cleaner is safe for PVC pipes? What happens if you add lye to standing water? Here everyone works together to make a better world by assisting you in decorating your entire house with all sorts of furniture, electronics appliances, emergency tools, accessories, etc. The mixture will foam and fizz, so mix it over your drain. Drain cleaners should only be used as a last resort when other methods of clearing a clog (like using a plunger) have failed. Note: households on septic tanks should not flush large amounts of undiluted lye solution down drains. Using rubber gloves is advisable. The longer it stays in one place, the more likely it is to damage your plumbing. Safety First! Properly diluted for disposal, a lye solution will not even kill lawn grass. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Using one of these chemical cleaners to unclog your drain could cause more harm than good in the long run. Again, this method works better in summer. If you do need to use it, be sure to follow the instructions carefully and take precautions to avoid damaging your pipes. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail. When these drain cleaners are used enough in old pipes they can cause the pipes themselves to degrade. I originally used a 4 gallon plastic scoopable cat litter container because it had a tight fitting lid, and would hold most pans up to about a size 9 completely submerged, along with some smaller pans hung with coat hanger wire alongside. Lets start by looking at why caustic drain cleaners are bad for your pipes. If you will use a lye-based drain cleaner on your PVC drains and pipes, always ensure that youre using the proper concentration because lye is a corrosive substance and especially so at high concentrations. Clickto find out how. Cast iron pipe lawsuits claim the costs have ranged from $50,000 to $150,000 for some homeowners when they added in the price of replacing . A Michigan Tech Explains, MassLandlords.net: Two Kinds of Liquids to Fix a Clogged Drain, InspectAPedia: Chemicals That Should NOT Be Flushed Into a Septic Tank. If you must use a caustic drain cleaner, be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions carefully and flush your pipes thoroughly with water afterwards. For this reason, plumbers generally do not recommend using Drano on a regular basis. In the case of plastic pipes, the caustic materials . Sodium Hypochlorite/Strong BLEACH // pH=12.5. The good news is it is fixable and you should not get rid of your pan, but it does require some work to restore the cast iron to its original state. Heres the problem: Chemical drain cleaners, such as caustic cleaners (containing caustic soda or lye), are bad for your pipes and your health. 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Over time, plastic containers not made of UV resistant material, if used outdoors, will become brittle and need to be replaced before they crack and leak. Chemicals, Oils, Paints: Do not flush these chemicals into the septic system in any quantity: Furniture polish. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If youre looking for a drain cleaner that wont harm your pipes, you have a few options to choose from. To do so, Terry's Plumbing suggests stirring together vinegar and baking soda in a cup. Lye can safely be used to clean nickel or chrome plated pieces. Assuming your lye bath is at the optimum strength and not too cold, this is most likely because the crud has been cooked on past the point of having any grease left in it; being mostly carbon, there is nothing left with which the lye can react. The lye in Drano eats through organic matter and pipes. Lye should not be used to clean cast aluminum ware as it will dissolve it. What can I use to neutralize sewer smell? Lye is available in liquid, pellet, flake or powder from most home improvement or hardware stores. But replacing pipes can turn into a full-blown home remodeling job. Follow the lye with 1 cup of cold water. It can take awhile for drain cleaning chemicals to move through a slow drain, giving them plenty of time to heat up your pipes along the way. Lye can help with very slow drains but never use it in a drain that you suspect to be clogged solid. Do not mix lye with other chemicals. Wait for about 10 seconds, then turn on the faucet and allow water to flow slowly into the drain. Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Sodium hydroxide is a co-product of chlorine production. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Although polystyrene is chemically resistant to room temperature lye, it is not resistant to hot lye. Unclog drains with lye. Avoid inhalation of the stuff. However, the connections/joints do often contain lead, which has known health concerns when consumed. While safe for occasional use on slow drains, drain cleaner chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to expensive repair bills. The problem is even worse when a drain is completely clogged, forcing the chemicals to sit in one place rather than moving along. Although. Similar products which expressly state a composition of 100% lye (sodium hydroxide) can also be used. Can lye damage pipes? | Als Plumbing Plano Texas. This corrosion can lead to leaks and even burst pipes. In addition to causing pipe damage, drain cleaners can also cause serious injury if not used properly. Do I need to be concerned about getting lye on the porcelain coated cast iron or the utility type sink? You can leave a cast iron pan in the lye bath virtually indefinitely without concern; the high pH of the solution actually works as a rust inhibitor. Our experts have done a research to get accurate and detailed answers for you. Some use a stronger solution. Bleach will not damage your drain pipes. Even when the solution over time becomes black as coffee from removed crud, it will still be
If you're using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. While safe for occasional use on slow drains, drain cleaner chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to expensive repair bills. Skip the flushing step if you still have standing water. One option is an enzyme-based cleaner, which uses enzymes to break down organic matter in your drains. 4 What happens when you mix lye and water? Lye can safely be used to clean nickel or chrome plated pieces. Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 6 Can you use lye to clean cast iron pipes? The information provided on AnswerFoundry.com is published as general information and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the content provided. Lye, also called caustic soda and sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make soap. The chemical should not react with the surface of the PVC piping, but if used incorrectly at high concentrations, it could eat away at a crack or flaw in the piping, causing it to fail. It's also of note that the chemicals in drain cleaners aren't good for the environment. Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. So, feel free to use this information and benefit from expert answers to the questions you are interested in! enable_page_level_ads: true Do not use lye if you have cast iron pipes. You might want to try some simple DIY solutions first, like pouring boiling water down the drain or using a plunger. Enough in old pipes they can cause death products and all other should. Drain cleaners, recycling code # 7 the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and visits. Can I pour sodium hydroxide ) can also cause serious injury if not used properly, lye still. 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