HomeProPlumber 

The article answers the question: “Does Drano harm pipes.  Home Pro Plumber, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides full-service plumbing; maintenance, repairs, and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  We sell and install Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  We’re near your home in Plano, Garland, and Richardson.  We service all homes in southern Collin County with no additional travel charges.

Home Pro Plumber also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.  Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard), and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Call Home Pro Plumber to discuss concerns about your Plumbing or HVAC System.  We’ll arrange an appointment at your convenience

Can Drano Harm Pipes?

• This article sets the record straight about chemical drain cleaners’ Risks To Sewer Pipes (made of different materials).  We show the sources for what we say. 

• Additionally, we discuss The Risks That Chemical Drain Cleaners Pose To You if;
• on your skin
• into your eyes
• breathing that’s air saturated with chemical-fumes.
• Saturated fumes are unlikely with chemical drain cleaners — because they don’t contain acid. 

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Amy Matthews, a licensed contractor in Minneapolis and host of “Bathroom Renovations” on the DIY Network says: “Don’t use chemical drain cleaners. They’re dangerous to people and pipes — and horrible for the environment.  Even the ones that say ‘won’t damage pipes — will damage pipes.”

Try using a plunger.  If that doesn’t work, try an auger.  A plunger loosens the clog — allowing it to move down the drain.  An auger twists into the clog and breaks it up.”  Seal overflow holes with tape in order to use a plunger (otherwise the pressure it creates exits the overflow hole instead).  Plungers with flat bases are for sinks and tubs.  Plungers with rounded bases are for toilets.

If more than one drain is backed up — call a professional plumber or sewer and drain cleaner.  The best way to deal with clogs is prevention.

Follow These Rules To Avoid Or Minimized Clogged Sewer Pipes:

• Only; Water, Natural Waste, and Toilet Paper — go into sewer pipes.

• Cooking oil & grease will cool & harden midway through your pipes — then stick to the pipe’s walls.
• Put oils & greases in a jar, or cottage cheese container (or similar) — and place it in the garbage.
• A garbage disposal isn’t a trash can.  It’s intended for minimal waste removal — such as extra bits of food left on plates.
• Plus, disposer struggle with fibrous materials.  Thow potato skins and vegetables in the trash.”

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/garden/24fix.html

• Do Regular Pipes Maintenance with a (natural, non-chemical) Enzymatic Drain Cleaner. 
• These remove only organic materials — like sewer sludge (which is often what clogs pipes).
• Sewer pipes aren’t organic.

• One of the most economical and widely available enzymatic drain maintainers is Rid-X.
• Though originally marketed to maintain septic tanks — it works equally well for sewer pipes’ maintenance.  (more details later in this article).

Note: Rid-X doesn’t remove clogs.  You’ll need a plunger or auger for that.

Image Source: Amazon.com Embedded Link

Shown: RID-X Works Well To Maintain Sewer Pipes (to prevent clogs).

Click On Image To; View Product, Read Details or Purchase From Amazon.com

Drano Also Has An Enzymatic Cleaner For Pipe Maintenance

Our Answers

Can Drano harm pipes?  Our answers depend on which material your sewer pipes are made of.  Drano is corrosive and harms pipes made of metal.  Drano likely harms ABS (black) plastic sewer pipes.  It may harm older PVC (white) plastic pipes (20+ years) — details within this article.  Below are the primary 4 types of sewer pipes — and the years they were commonly used in new construction homes.

Click Here To Read Our Article About Descaling Cast Iron Sewer Pipes: www.AlsPlumbing.com Descaling Cast-Iron Sewer Pipes

Galvanized-Steel Sewer Pipes

Image Source: Shutterstock

Shown: New galvanized metal pipes — Common In Homes Built 1960 & Earlier. 

• Can Drano Harm Metal Pipes Made Of Galvanized-Steel.   YES?  
• Any brand of chemical drain cleaner will harm metal sewer pipes. 
• Cast-Iron & Galvanized-Steel Sewer Pipes are metal and corrode/rust — and chemical drain cleaners accelerate corrosion.

Image Source: Dreamstime

SHOWN: (new) Cast Iron Sewer Pipe — Common In Homes Built 1970 & Earlier. 

(medium to dark gray in color when new)

• Will Drano Harm Metal Pipes Made Of Cast-Iron?   YES.

You may not be able to see any cast-iron sewer pipes.  When the homes were built — chromed steel pipes were used under sinks.

Image Source: Shutterstock

Shown: Chromed-Steel Sewer Pipes Commonly Found Under Sinks In Older Homes.

It’s also possible that plastic pipes are visible under sinks (plastic pipes discussed below).

Image Source: Shutterstock

SHOWN: Corroded / Rusted Cast Iron Sewer Pipes

This YouTube Video Below Shows A Badly “Scaled” (rusted) Cast Iron Pipe Undergoing Rust-Scale Removal

Image Source: YouTube Embedded Video

Shown:  Descaling Cast Iron Sewer Pipe.  This is done when the pipe is sound — but the scaling catches debris and causes clogs.

To View The Video:  Click on the white arrow in the center of the image.

At the beginning of the video — you’ll see the rust/corrosion (before descaling.)

At Time: 1:00 / 5:15  Descaling begins.

At Time: 4:30 / 5:15  See the pipe after Descaling.

Can Draino Harm ABS Sewer Pipes?

Image Source: Shutterstock

SHOWN: ABS (black plastic) Sewer Pipe — Common In Homes Built During 1970-1974.

ABS was a 1st Generation Plastic Sewer Pipe.

From 1985 to 1998 — Class-Action Lawsuits Arose Due To Premature Failures of the plastic resin used. 

Many pipes became brittle, cracked, and began leaking.

Source: https://www.lieffcabraser.com/defect/abs-pipes/

When Used As Directed — Can Drano Harm Pipes Made of ABS  (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene ) Sewer Pipes.

• Likely.  
• ABS isn’t resistant to the chlorinated hydrocarbons in bleach (bleach is in Drano).  

Source: https://www.diffen.com/difference/ABS_vs_PVC

Source: https://science.jrank.org/pages/1438/Chlorine-Properties-uses-chlorine.html#:~:text=Ordinary%20laundry%20bleach%20is%20a,atoms%20replaced%20by%20chlorine%20atoms.

Can Drain Harm PVC Sewer Pipes

Image Source: Shutterstock

Shown: PVC (white plastic) Sewer Pipe — Common In Homes Built 1975 & Later.

PVC is the 2nd Generation Plastic Sewer Pipe. — and is what’s used in all new homes today.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a “thermoplastic”.  Many plastics will melt when exposed to enough heat. To prevent this, PVC goes through a thermosetting process — with heat providing the energy for thermosetting.  After thermosetting — PVC is very rigid and hard, and can’t be re-melted.  PVC also has excellent chemical resistance.

When Used As Directed — Can Drano Harm Pipes Made of PVC (PolyVinyl Chloride)?  

• Possibly: PVC pipes > 20 years old (see source *3 below). 
• Not Likely: PVC pipes < 20 years old.  *3

*3 Source: “Best Drain Cleaners Of 2021”  https://www.bobvila.com/articles/best-drain-cleaner/

Does This Mean You Shouldn’t Use Household Bleach?  No, it’s ok to use it.

• Household bleach contains only 3–8% Chlorine.
• Bleach is typically tremendously diluted in common household uses.

** Source: https://www.vinidex.com.au/technical-resources/chemical-resistance/chemical-resistance-of-pvc-pipes/

 

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Image Source: Amazon.com Embedded Link

SHOWN: Drano.  Click On Image, To Read The Back Side Of The Bottle 

Near the bottom of the Drano’s bottle’s label — you’ll see: “Corrosion Inhibitor”.

Definitions:

Corrosion:  The primary means by which metals deteriorate.  The most common corrosion is caused by a chemical(s)— and spreads uniformly over the entire exposed surface.

Corrosion Inhibitor: A chemical substance added into a corrosive environment — to prevent or reduce corrosion.   It forms a protective-film on the lining of a pipe.  Sodium Metasilicate has been added to Public Water Systems for over 70 years — to reduce the effects of corrosive-water on the pipes.

Source: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/64392

Drano Adds Sodium Silicate As Its Corrosion Inhibitor.*

Sodium Silicate Inhibits Rust By Forming A Thin Film Of Silicate On A Pipe’s Lining.  

* Source: https://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com/us/en/brands/drano/drano-liquid-clog-remover

Click Here To See A Photo Of Natural Silica: Photo Of Natural Silica

Natural silica is a trace mineral — that consists of silicon & oxygen.  Silica forms a protective-barrier on the inside of the pipe.  Sodium Silicate has been used in Municipal Water Systems pipes for over 70 years to inhibit rust.

Source: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pqcorp.com%2Fdocs%2Fdefault-source%2Frecommended-literature%2Fpq%2Fsodium-metasilicates%2Fmetso-sodium-metasilicate-2009.pdf%3Fsfvrsn%3D6dd18c21_3&clen=722225&chunk=truedoi=10.1.1.496.2266&rep=rep1&type=pdf#:~:text=Sodium%20silicate%20has%20been%20used,inner%20surface%20of%20the%20pipe.

BUT — Drano’s 3 Corrosive Ingredient Will Dissolve Silica Deposits. 

DISSOLVING SILICA SCALE: There are 2 generally accepted ways to remove silica deposits.  One is is to use Sodium Hydroxide / Lye. 

Source: Improved Methods For Removal Of Silicate Deposits.    chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heatexchanger-fouling.com%2Fpapers%2Fpapers2017%2F32_McCartney_Improved%2520Methods%2520for%2520Removal%2520of%2520Silicate.pdf&clen=1029454&chunk=true

The pH Level Scale Is A: 0 — 14 Number To Identify If A Substance Is:

Acidic (pH <7), Neutral (7), or Alkaline (pH>7).

• Acids measure pH< 7.
• 0 is extremely acidic.
• Low pH = high acidity = highly corrosive.

• 7 pH is Neutral.

• Alkalines measure pH > 7.
• 14 is extremely alkaline.
• High pH = high alkalinity = highly corrosive.

Drano Has 3 Highly Alkaline/ Highly Corrosive Ingredients (show just below). 

• High pH number = highly alkaline = highly corrosive.

• pH 11: Drano’s overall pH
• Drano says: We use pH adjusters to achieve the best pH for a particular job.  Also, the pH of a formula limits its tendency to corrode a can. 

• pH 14: Sodium Hydroxide (lye) — is one of the most corrosive substances on earth. 
• pH 12: Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) — is also highly corrosive. 
• pH 11-13 Sodium Silicate (rust inhibitor) — is also highly corrosive (when unable to form a protective-layer of silicate). 
• In that environment — it’s just salt. 

Source: https://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com/us/en/brands/drano/drano-max-gel-clog-remover

Source: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c01495     ACS.org is ACS Publications

Source: https://blog.storemasta.com.au/examples-corrosive-substances-ph-levels

Source: https://www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/Chemicals/ResponsibleCare/Documents/Sodium%20Metasilicate.pdf

 

On A Side Note

The Bubbling You May See When Using Chemical Drain Cleaners

Does Drano Harm Pipes Due To It Boiling Water?  NO — because the bubbling water isn’t boiling. 

Most chemical drain cleaners consist of combinations of; sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium hypochlorate (bleach), sodium nitrate (salt) or sodium chloride (salt) and shards of aluminum.

• In water, the aluminum reacts with lye — to produce hydrogen gas. *4

• The bubbles of hydrogen gas agitate the mixture to help dislodge the clog.

• While some heat may be generated — the drain cleaner isn’t boiling.

Image Source: YouTube Embedded Video

Shown: Lye-Based Drain Cleaner Creating Hydrogen Gas Bubbles *6

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Drano & Other Chemical Drain Cleaners

Health Risks To You

Copy The Link Below Into Your Browser To See The “Safety Data Sheet” For Liquid Drano (highlights just below):

Source: https://health.ho-chunk.com/sdsdocs/100182.pdf

Drano’s Specifications — As Shown In Globally Harmonized System (GHS) Classification:

• Hazard Classification // Hazard Category  // Hazards ID
• Corrosive To Metals // Category 1 // May be corrosive to metals.
• Skin Corrosion // Category 1B // Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.
• Serious Eye Damage // Category 1 // Causes serious eye damage.

Composition Information On Ingredients\

• Chemical Name // CAS-No. // Weight Percent
• Sodium Hypochlorite-Lye // 7681-52-9 // 1- 5% (varies by product).
• Sodium Chloride-Salt //  7647-14-5 // 1- 5%.
• Sodium Hydroxide-Dissolved Chlorine Gas –Bleach // 1310-73-2 // 1- 5% (varies by product).
• Sodium Silicate-Rust Inhibitor // 1344-09-8 // 1- 5% (varies by product).

• The specific chemical identity and/or exact concentration percentage of Drano are withheld as A Trade Secret (this is perfectly legal).

Risk Of Physical Injury While Using Chemical Drain Cleaners Is Ever-Present. 

Serious injury can result from dropping an open bottle of chemical drain cleaner – that splashes onto your body.   Within the article is a link to a story of a devastating injury resulting from 2 drops of chemical drain cleaner getting on a man’s hand.  After 27 surgeries he had the hand amputated.

Health Risks Chemical Drain Cleaners Present

The U.S. Dept. Of Heath & Human Services Website

Says This About Liquid Drano:

Warnings:

Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Precautionary statements: Call for medical advice if needed.  Have product container close by when calling. Keep out of reach of children. Immediately call 911 if you suspect someone has ingested a chemical drain cleaner.  IF SWALLOWED: Rinse mouth. Do NOT induce vomiting. IF INHALED: Get fresh air and stay in a position comfortable for breathing. IF ON SKIN (or hair): Remove product immediately.  Remove any contaminated clothing. Rinse skin with water/ shower. IF IN EYES: Call 911.  Remove & discard contact lenses. Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes.

Source: https://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=19001557&query=drano+&searchas=TblBrands

A Simple Mistake While Handling Chemical Drain Cleaner

Cause A Catastrophic Injury

The link below is to an article (written by his wife) about a man who ended up having 27 surgeries — in an attempt to remedy the ongoing issues of his injury from 2 drops of chemical drain cleaner.  He eventually had the hand amputated.  Even that did not solve the problem…

Copy This Link Below Into Your Browser To Read An Article About An Hand Injury

A Man Suffered As A Result Of 2 Drops Of Chemical Drain Cleaner.

After 27 Surgeries — He Had His Hand Amputated.

Two Droplets

Can Chemical Drain Cleaners Harm You?

• Absolutely!  There is no disagreement about this.
• Make a simple mistake while using chemical drain cleaners — and you risk severe injury.

• After you used a chemical drain cleaner — don’t attempt to clear the drain with another method.
• If a chemical drain cleaner doesn’t clear the clog — the standing water is now highly toxic.
• You could splash or expose yourself to drain cleaner in the standing water.

Better & Safer Ways To Remove Clogs

CAUTION:  Do Not Use If A Chemical Drain Cleaner Was Used First.

• Use a plunger first.  It often clears clogs quickly and safely.
• A plunger can’t clear a clog caused by hair.
• It depends on suction (upward pressure) and downward pressure to clear a clog — so the clog must contain something the plunger can pull & push against.

• Use a Zip-It for hair removal.
• Zip-It is designed to remove hair.  It has “teeth” along its sides to snag hair.

Shown: Photo Shows “Teeth” Along Sides Of A Zip-It

HomeProPlumber 

The article answered the question: “Does Drano harm pipes.  Home Pro Plumber, Heating & A/C in Plano, Texas provides full-service plumbing; maintenance, repairs, and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  We sell and install Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  We’re near your home in Plano, Garland, and Richardson.  We service all homes in southern Collin County with no additional travel charges.

Home Pro Plumber also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps.  Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard), and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).

Call Home Pro Plumber to discuss concerns about your Plumbing or HVAC System.  We’ll arrange an appointment at your convenience