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drain cleaners

Drain Cleaners and Your Septic System

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Drain cleaners can be an easy choice when your kitchen or bathroom drain becomes clogged, but they are not a great choice for the health of your septic system.  Septic systems rely on natural bacteria  to treat wastewater.   The harsh chemicals found in drain cleaners can kill the beneficial bacteria needed by your septic system to process wastewater.

Chemical drain cleaners are one of the most dangerous of all the cleaning products on the market to human health.  Most contain very corrosive ingredients such as sulfuric acid, lye, and bleach that can burn your eyes and skin.  They can be fatal if ingested and these cleaning products are required by law to carry a warning label listing their harsh ingredients.   Care must be taken to keep these out of the reach of children.

Even very low amounts of a drain cleaner used in a septic system results in significant decreases in concentrations of Coliform bacteria and a decrease in PH when higher concentrations are used.  It could take up to 48 hours for bacteria population to recover to original levels.  If you must use  a harsh drain cleaner,  it is a good idea to flush a box of baking soda down the toilet after to neutralize the acids in the drain cleaner.

What is a solution to your clogged drains?  The best remedy is to prevent drains from being clogged by having good catch basins in all the drains of the home.  Purchasing inexpensive plastic or metal screens for the drains can keep many wastes from going down the drain including hair and food products.   Food scraps as well as oils  and grease should never be allowed down the drain.

Most clogs occur about 6 inches below the drain opening in the trap.   Taking apart and cleaning this area can remove the clog.  Plungers can also be helpful in removing a clogged drain.   If that doesn’t work, a snake or auger can be put down the drain to remove the blockage.   Clean-out ports can be removes to help access the clog.  If no luck, it’s always best to call a professional who has the equipment and expertise to get the job done.

If you feel you must use a chemical drain cleaner, look for an enzyme-based cleaner. Less harsh and more natural cleaners are becoming more and more popular and there are more choices available. They are more gentle on your system.  You can also try a homemade recipe:  Pour 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup baking soda down the clogged drain.   Then pour  6 cups vinegar after salt & baking soda.  Let stand for 1/2 hour then pour kettle of boiling water down drain. Repeat twice a year for trouble free drains.

Septic Preservation Services can help you with any of your septic system questions.  Call 877-378-4279 or visit www.septicpreservation.com

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Drain Cleaner and Onsite Systems Are a Bad Combination

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drain cleanerPublished in Onsite Installer Magazine

www.onsiteinstaller.com

Written by Sarah Heger

Chemicals used in many drain cleaners kill the essential bacteria needed by septic systems.

Septic systems rely on natural bacteria to treat wastewater. Harsh chemicals used in many drain cleaners kill the essential bacteria needed by septic systems.

Chemical drain cleaners are among the most dangerous of all cleaning products to human health. Most contain corrosive ingredients such as sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide (lye) and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that can permanently burn eyes and skin. Some can be fatal if ingested. Cleaning products are required by law to include label warnings if harmful ingredients are included which are:

Signal word Toxicity if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin
Caution One ounce to one pint may be harmful
Warning One teaspoon to one ounce may be harmful or fatal
Danger One taste to one teaspoon is fatal
Ideally, the products used on all our homes either have no warning or only a “Caution.”

In a study by Gross (1987), a lab study found significant decreases in concentrations of coliform bacteria at very low Drano concentrations. Just 0.1 mg of Drano per liter of septic tank effluent reduced the concentration of coliforms tenfold; 1.3 mg is enough to kill most bacteria, and at 3 mg/L they are destroyed. Three mg/L corresponds to 11.3 grams in a 1,000-gallon septic tank. Also, there was as a slight decrease in pH at higher concentrations of Drano. This amount could possibly be used by a homeowner in a short time period when unclogging a drain. The bacteria population recovers to its original concentration within 48 hours following the addition of the Drano.

Alternatives for customers
Prevent drains from becoming blocked in the first place by having really good catch basins in all drains from sinks, showers, tubs, laundry, etc. This is easily done with inexpensive metal or plastic drain screens. Large food scraps, along with fat, oils and grease should be collected and disposed of with the solid waste or composted when possible, and not dumped down the drain.

The most likely spot for a sink drain to clog is about 6 inches below the drain opening in the trap. If a clog occurs, many times the plumbing under a sink can be removed and manually cleaned. In other instances a plunger may also help to clear the obstruction or a drain auger or snake is used to manually remove the material causing the slow or blocked drain. If the blockage isn’t near enough to the sink to reach with a snake, look for other places to gain entry to the pipe. There should be clean-out ports that can be unscrewed to gain access to pipes for auguring. If it’s a tough hair or scale-type clog, it may be worth it to call in a professional with better equipment to handle those types of blockages.

As a last resort, chemical drain cleaners may be used, but they must be enzyme-based rather than caustic cleaners. Earth Friendly or Naturally Yours are two brands of enzyme-based drain cleaners. Homeowners can  make their own: Put 1/2 cup salt,  1/2 cup baking soda, 6 cups of vinegar down the drain.  Let stand for an hour or so & then pour kettle of boiling water down your  drain. This can be done every 6 months to a year.  It does no damage and can help to keep drains clear.

All Clear Septic and Wastewater Services can answer all your septic questions.  Call them at 877-378-4279 or visit www.septicpreservation.com