Drain
cleaner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A drain cleaner is a chemical
based consumer product that unblocks sewer pipes or helps to prevent the
occurrence of clogged drains. The term may also refer to the individual who
uses performs the activity with chemical drain cleaners or devices known as plumber's snake.
Drain cleaners can be classified in two categories: chemical, or device.
- If a single sink, toilet, or tub or shower drain is
clogged the first choice is normally a drain cleaner that can remove soft
obstructions such as hair and grease clogs that can accumulate close to
interior drain openings. Chemical drain cleaners, plungers, handheld drain augers, air burst drain cleaners, and home remedy drain cleaners are intended for this purpose.
- If more than one plumbing fixture is clogged the first
choice is normally a drain cleaner that can remove soft or hard
obstructions along the entire length of the drain, from the drain opening
through the main sewer drain to the lateral piping outside the building. Electric drain cleaners and sewer jetters are intended for this purpose.
Each type of drain cleaner has
advantages, disadvantages, and safety considerations as described below.
Chemical
drain cleaners
Chemical drain cleaners can be in
solid or liquid form that are readily available through Hardware stores,
though some (primarily acidic ones) are intended for use by licensed plumbers.
Alkaline drain cleaners are
available in either solid or liquid state while the acidic ones are usually in
liquid form.
Alkaline
drain openers
Alkaline drain openers primarily
contain sodium hydroxide and some may contain potassium hydroxide. They may appear in liquid or solid form.
Liquid formulations of corrosive
alkaline drain cleaners can contain sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and lye (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide) in concentrations up to 50 percent. Other corrosive
mixtures come as two-part cleaners that are mixed as they are poured in the
drain opening. Inside the drain the two solutions react to release a gas, and surfactants
trap the gas as dense foam. The intent of this foaming action is to coat the
inside of the drain pipe to dislodge more of the substances that form the clog.
Solid formulations of corrosive
alkaline drain cleaners in the form of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide
granules can provide more concentrated effective ingredients. Some patented,
solid-formula cleaners add aluminum turnings that react with the solid
hydroxide in water to heat the caustic mixture to a boil.
Alkaline drain openers can dissolve hair (containing proteins) and fats
inside pipes via alkaline hydrolysis of amide and ester respectively:
Acidic
drain openers
Acid drain cleaners usually contain
concentrated sulfuric acid (sulphuric acid).[1]
It can dissolve proteins and fats via hydrolysis
and since concentrated sulfuric acid also has a strong dehydrating property, it readily dissolves tissue paper inside pipes through dehydration as well.
According to a manufacturer,
potential hazards include violent reaction with water and the production of explosive
hydrogen vapors
upon contact with most metals; chronic (delayed) and acute (immediate) health hazards if
inhaled, ingested, or contacted, including severe eye, flesh and skin burns or
even permanent visual loss, inflammation of respiratory membranes, and corrosive burns
to all human tissue. It may even be fatal if swallowed.[2]
Due to the vigorous reaction between the acid and water, such acidic drain
openers should be added slowly into the pipe to be cleaned.
Here are the ways where acidic drain
openers hydrolyze proteins and fats via acid hydrolysis,
similar to their alkaline versions mentioned above:
Concentrated sulfuric acid in the
drain openers also dehydrates substances containing carbohydrates,
like tissue paper which consists of cellulose:
(C
6H
10O
5)n + sulfuric acid → 6n C + 5n H
2O
6H
10O
5)n + sulfuric acid → 6n C + 5n H
2O
Pros
and cons
Advantages of chemical drain cleaners include ready availability of
some formulations through retailer stores and potential ease of use for
removing soft hair and grease clogs that accumulate close to drain openings.
Disadvantages of chemical drain cleaners include a lack of effectiveness
for removing clogs far from the drain opening (for example, clogs that occur in
toilets[3]
or in the main sewer drain), an inability to remove most solid obstructions,
and the safety considerations outlined below.
Safety considerations for chemical drain cleaners, the danger arises from their
potential to injure eyes, lungs and skin and damage to clothing and household
materials such as wood, paint, aluminum and fiberglass. Chemical drain cleaners
should be used only according to the manufacturer's instructions, as other use
may cause injury.[4]
Strongly corrosive and acid drain cleaners are among the most hazardous
household products available to the public. Chemical drain cleaners can cause
strong reactions—sometimes explosively—with other chemicals that may have been
used previously, which can result in serious injury to anyone in the vicinity.[5]
Handheld
drain augers
Handheld drain augers are typically designed to clean portions of a drain within
8 metres (25 ft) of the drain opening. The cable of a handheld drain auger
is driven into a drain by the mechanical force created when the operator
rotates a drum that anchors the cable.
Many handheld augers have cables
that are thin enough to pass through common sink traps, though some
manufacturers do not recommend using handheld drain augers in toilets[6]
because of their potential to scratch ceramic surfaces. Instead, a special closet auger
(from "water closet") should be used.
Advantages of handheld drain augers include low relative cost and
ready availability through hardware stores.
Disadvantages include a reach that is normally limited to 8 metres
(25 ft), and the potential for the twisting cable to scratch the ceramic
surfaces of plumbing fixtures. They are also only effective on small diameter
pipes - 40-50mm rather than main sewer pipes of 110mm.
Safety considerations include a requirement to wear protective gloves and eye
protection, and to practice good hygiene after coming into contact with drain
fluids.[6]
Air
burst drain cleaners
Air burst drain cleaners use accelerated carbon dioxide, air or other gas to rupture
the clog membrane. Accelerated gas creates a force on standing water that can
dislodge clogs that accumulate close to drain openings.
Advantages of air burst drain cleaners include the potential to
immediately clear clogs and slow-running drains, in contrast to chemical
cleaners that can take more time to work. Air burst cleaners can dislodge
obstructions that are further away from drain openings than can a plunger, and
in contrast to a drain augers do not risk scratching the ceramic surfaces of
sinks, bathtubs and toilets.
Disadvantages of air burst drain cleaners include a limited cleaning
range in pipes that do not contain standing water and, in general,
ineffectiveness for unclogging blocked main sewer drains.
Safety considerations for air burst drain cleaners include a requirement to wear
eye protection and, when using an air burst cleaner that uses compressed gas
cartridges, careful handling of unused cartridges.[7]
Home
remedy drain cleaners
Home remedy drain cleaners include boiling water poured into drain openings to clear
soap and hair clogs; or, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) poured into a drain,
followed by vinegar.[8]
Advantages of home remedy drain cleaners include ready availability
and environmental safety.
Disadvantages include limited effectiveness compared to other drain
cleaners.
Safety considerations for home remedy drain cleaners include the requirement to
handle ingredients (for example, boiling water) with the appropriate care.
Electric
drain cleaners
Electric drain cleaners, also called plumber's snakes, use the mechanical force of an electric motor to twist a
flexible cable or spring in a clockwise direction and drive it into a pipe.
Electric drain cleaners are commonly available with cable lengths of up to 40
metres and can go as far as 80 metres.
Advantages of electric drain cleaners include the ability to clean
long sections of sewer drain, the ability to remove solid objects such as tree
roots and jewelry, and ready availability through hardware stores and tool
rental counters. Machines using springs can easily negotiate multiple 90 degree
bends while maintaining their effectiveness and without damaging the pipe.
Disadvantages of electric drain cleaners include high relative cost and
weight, and the considerable physical effort that may be required to control
the cable.
Safety considerations for electric drain cleaners include the requirement to wear
work gloves and eye protection, to carefully control the cable during operation
to avoid overstressing it, to use appropriate caution when working around
rotating machinery, and to use properly grounded electrical outlets.[9]
Sewer
jetters
A sewer jetter is composed of
a controlled high-pressure water source such as a pressure washer
or reciprocating
displacement pump, a flexible high pressure line
(called a jetter hose) of up to hundreds of metres (several hundred feet) in
length, and a nozzle that uses hydraulic force to pull the line into sewer
drains, clean the sides of pipes, and flush out residue.
Portable sewer jetters and pressure washer sewer jetter attachments are
primarily used by service personnel and homeowners to remove soft obstructions
throughout the length of a building's sewer drain and to prevent the recurrence
of clogs by cleaning the sides of drain pipes and flushing out residue.
Pressure washer sewer jetter attachments are generally lower in cost and weight
than electric drain cleaners with an equivalent reach, and can present a lower
risk of scratching plumbing fixtures.[10]
Truck and trailer-mounted sewer jetters used by municipalities and larger service companies benefit
from the high hydraulic horsepower delivered by powerful displacement pumps and
so can remove tree roots and other solid obstructions.
Advantages of sewer jetters include the relative ease of penetrating
long sewer lines and the ability to remove residue that accumulates along the
sides of sewer pipes, thereby reducing the need for subsequent drain cleaning.
Disadvantages of pressure washer sewer jetter attachments and many
portable jetters include an inability to extract tree roots and other hard
obstructions. Disadvantages of truck and trailer mounted sewer jetters include
high relative cost and weight, and the requirement for extensive training to
comply with manufacturers' safety guidelines.
Safety considerations for sewer jetters include a requirement to wear protective
gloves and eye protection, to avoid contact with sewer drain fluids, and to
ensure that the jetter nozzle operates only inside the sewer pipe.[11]
Furthermore, larger truck and trailer-mounted units that operate with
sufficient power to cut tree roots require extensive training and strict adherence
to manufacturers' safety guidelines to avoid serious injury.[12]
Enzymatic
drain cleaners
Enzymatic drain cleaners contain bacteria cultures and concentrated enzymes that
react with organic residue that builds up on sewer pipes, dissolving the
residue to help prevent slow-running drains. Most enzymatic drain cleaners are
intended for general maintenance to maintain proper flow and are not intended
to clear fully clogged drain pipes.
Advantages of enzymatic drain cleaners include relative safety for use
in a wide range of plumbing fixtures, low environmental impact, low cost and
ease of use.
Disadvantages of most enzymatic drain cleaners include longer cleaning
times compared to most other drain cleaners. Because enzymatic cleaners rely on
liquid flowing through the pipe to disperse, they are also generally not
intended to open completely clogged drains.
Safety considerations for enzymatic drain cleaners include a requirement to avoid
contact with eyes and prolonged contact with
skin.[13]
The entire wiki link can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drain_cleaner
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