To drano or not to drano

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paulap

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My plumber told me that my recent plumbing blockage is caused by a large grease build up that is down the plumbing line and recommends I use a product such as Drano or Liquid Plumber. Years ago I was warned against using either. Do you have recommendations of a safe product to dissolve the grease mass?

pipe_chlorine.jpg

Caustic drain cleaning can rot out pipes.
 
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Terry

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Bio-Clean is what I'm using.
The stuff is so safe, you can eat out of the container, and yet it gets rid of the grease in the pipes.
It won't be eating the bottom of your pipes

If the lines are plugged up, you still may need to snake the lines, or if you have hair in them.
It takes time for the product to work.
Cathy was using this in her home for a few days, and when I went to snake her downstairs lav drain, the snake came back totally clean.
The city of Bellevue requires something like this for restaurants with grease, especially the KFC on Main Street.

http://terrylove.biz/home/75-bio-clean-a-natural-enzyme-drain-cleaner.html
 
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Redwood

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If that plumber of yours is pitching draino and liquid plumber he's trying to get into your wallet for a repipe!

I'd agree with Terry... Bio Clean is an excellent maint. solution for grease buildup in pipes...

Try this... Get some and put it in a bottle with water and a lump of Crisco and watch... It will dissolve the Crisco! It takes about an hour.
 

Gary Swart

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Never use harsh corrosive chemicals in a drain. Usually they don't work and will cause damage to you pipes. Possible exception might be Liquid Plumber if there is a soap and hair clog in the trap arm.
 

Wrex

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Please note if your house has old style galvanized pipes feeding the fixtures the rough inner texture of these pipes like to grab hair, grease, and the other nasties flowing through the pipe. Not to mention when they begin to rust the scale gets rougher which makes the situation worse.

When I replaced my old style galvanized pipe with PVC (when it finally rusted through) I went from snaking my tub once every 3 months to once a year and that was directly through the drain without even having to remove the cleanout!

PVC is more resistant to clogging due to its slick smoother surface inside.

Just food for thought.
 
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Ian Gills

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Liquid Plumber if there is a soap and hair clog in the trap arm

I hate to crash the party but amen to this. It's the only thing that works for my tub.
 

hj

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snake

If you were able to snake the drain through the opening at the bottom of the tub, and not the cleanout/overflow cover, then you are a better plumber than I am, or had the most limber snake I have ever heard of.
 

Cass

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grease + sodium hydroxide (drano) + water = soap
 

Wondering

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I was thinking of ordering some of the Bio Clean, then the other day someone called with a company called Septic Saviour. He started telling me of a NEW product they had on the market that was the perfect thing for grease in pipes and septic systems. I forgot the name of the product but he said that in August Home Depot is going to start carrying it also and that HD is going to charge $399.00 for it but that he was offering it for $199 but if I pay now instead of having it on 3-4 payments it would only cost $174. I forget how long this supply will last. Maybe he said a year, maybe 5 years, he talked fast.
I finally told him I didn't think I wanted it and hung up. Has anyone here heard of this company or product and do you think it would be any better or different from this Bio Clean?
 

hj

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stuff

Did he sound like Billy Main? That is the kind of stuff that gets pitched on the evening informercials. Buy now. A $79.99 value for $14.95 and if you buy within the next 10 minutes we will double the order, (just pay an outrageous shipping and handling fee).
 

Redwood

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Good ole Billy Mays!
Does he ever have a bunch of crap for sale...

BTW I've got some stuff thats twice as good as the septic savior stuff at only 1/2 the price... And I also have oceanfront property in Montana for sale cheap! Wanna buy some... Give me a call at 1-800-USU-CKER!

I hope that clarifies the situation for you!
 

April Raine

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Never use harsh corrosive chemicals in a drain. Usually they don't work and will cause damage to you pipes. Possible exception might be Liquid Plumber if there is a soap and hair clog in the trap arm.
I used Mr Muscle drain unblocker in the shower drain. Is that bad? Think its a PVC pipe.
Thanks
 

Redwood

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It could be. Many Drain openers generate heat to some degree that is why they all say in their instruction never to use them on a completely clogged drain. This heat if not washed through has melted plastic pipe.

I maintain my stance... Never use chemical drain openers. Bio based drain maintainers will not harm your pipes but they are only a maintainer not a miricle cure.
 

hj

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drain cleaners

The drain cleaners the public can buy are so diluted as to almost ineffective for clearing obstructions, much less damaging the pipes. About the only thing they will do is bleach the color out of your pants and shirt if you come in contact with them as I had to this week.
 

Redwood

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Here they sell many things to the public that they are not supposed to!
The standard line at many supply houses is, "Be real careful with this stuff. It's dangerous and I'm only supposed to sell it to plumbers. Yea... It's the good stuff!"

At the hardware store they don't say that as they hand the customer the bottle of sulfuric acid....:eek:
 
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