Our team has collected thousands of questions that people keep asking in forums, blogs and in Google questions. When you find yourself standing ankle-deep in water after a shower, it's a sure sign that you've got a clog in your pipes. Will It Damage My Pipes? Another benefit is you can clean pieces according to your own convenience, leaving them in the bath as little or as long as necessary, or even longer. The glass might frost if it continued or stayed on for too long. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ Set the bucket lip on its handle so the bucket creates a tight seal. For example, reactions involving lye can generate heat that can reach boiling points. Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. Sodium hydroxide isvery damagingto human tissue (especially eyes). Sodium hydroxide is a co-product of chlorine production. Lye. Cast iron (grey cast iron) is a historical type of pipe manufactured in the 19th and 20th centuries that is used as pressure pipe for transmission of water and sewage. 1. 6 Can you use lye to clean cast iron pipes? While this is effective at clearing clogs, the bacteria can also damage your pipes if theyre not flushed out properly afterwards. The short answer is yes, drain cleaners can be bad for your pipes. Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Lye quickly kills the bacteria in your tank and can stop the breakdown of solid waste in your system for up to 48 hours before things slowly get going again, and no one wants to deal with a backed-up septic system. When adding a second batch of lye to standing water, be very careful not to splash. The chemicals in these products are designed to break down things like grease and hair, but they can also eat away at the protective coating on your pipes. If youre worried about your drain, you can also contact your local waste management services to find out how to dispose of hazardous materials. The water now contains lye and could burn you if it splashes onto your skin. Coming in at number three is your best option for cleaning out cast iron pipes and really give them new life: it's a fairly new technology called "picote" that uses high powered spinning air. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda or lye, is a highly versatile substance used in a variety of manufacturing processes. Palladium hydroxide x Only in highly diluted aqueous solutions; otherwise disposed of as hazardous waste. quite effective. Milk will also neutralize lye and can be used if the lye is accidentally swallowed. View chapter Purchase book Be sure to rinse the piece well before proceeding with initial seasoning. This can leave your pipes susceptible to corrosion and other damage. This caustic can deteriorate metal piping and, in some forms, as when mixed with an aluminum compound to increase its cleaning power, can easily generate enough heat to warp or deform PVC piping. This will allow him to protect himself from any lye still present. Theme Kourtier Blog by. You can find this at Lowes on the Plumbing Aisle (not with the regular household cleaners.) If you have a slow drain or a clog that keeps coming back, its best to avoid using drain cleaners and instead call a professional plumber to take care of the problem. Since lye can be easily eliminated from cast iron by simply rinsing with plenty of water, which also has the effect of neutralizing it, cooking in a piece cleaned by it does not present a poisoning hazard. Similarly, will Lye damage plastic pipes? Even when mixing and using lye properly, always use skin and eye protection, and protect clothing or wear clothes that it won't matter if some might drip on them. 100 Percent Lye Crystals The ratio of lye to water is typically 5 gallons of water to 1 pound of lye. The amount you'll pay a plumber to clear a clog is substantially less than what you'll pay him to replace damaged pipes. Add your water to your tote first. I love to cook with, and restore cast iron! Lye breaks down organic matter and in a hot environment, the decomposition is accelerated. Carefully pour several teaspoonfuls of lye directly into the drain. 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. . Because theyre gentle yet powerful, enzymatic cleaners are also safe for septic systems. Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. Do not use plastics in the Other category, recycling code #7. If drain remains clogged, repeat steps 1-5. While safe for occasional use on slow drains, drain cleaner chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to expensive repair bills. Lye, known to scientists as sodium hydroxide, is an extremely caustic base. House Trick, What Dissolves Tree Roots In Sewer Lines? In addition to causing pipe damage, drain cleaners can also cause serious injury if not used properly. 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. Drain Cleaner Can Damage Your Pipes Drain cleaner is caustic, meaning it will eat away at your pipes even the tougher types. InformationTermsDisclaimerPrivacy Policy About UsContact Us. Replacing cast iron drain lines is not a simple process. Feb 3, 2022Drano contains chemicals that can severely damage your pipes. Suspend pieces utilizing steel coat hangers. What chemicals should not go into a septic tank? Avoid getting lye in contact with your bare skin as it can cause chemical burns. Advertisement Video of the Day There are caustic cleaners that use lye (sodium hydroxide) or potash, oxidizing cleaners that use bleach or peroxide, and acidic cleaners that use sulfuric or muriatic acid to clean . This is unnecessary, as simple dilution with plenty of tap water will easily drop the pH to non-hazardous levels. When exposed to heat, both plastic and old metal pipes can bend, warp or even break open. How rayon is different from synthetic fibre? 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. Chemicals, Oils, Paints: Do not flush these chemicals into the septic system in any quantity: Furniture polish. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. If the obstruction is lodged too deeply in the waste line for the auger to reach, call a plumber, who has , Generally, lye should be used in metal pipes only as a last resort and never in PVC or other plastic pipes. Lye should not be used to clean enameled cast iron pieces; it will dull the finish. Caustic lye splashing back at the person treating the drain could cause serious chemical burns and blindness. Sometimes the employees may not know where it is. You may recall from high school chemistry that chemical reactions can produce heat, and some produce quite a bit of it. Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. Inhaling fumes from these products can also seriously damage the lungs. Lye will react with metals such as aluminum, cast iron and steel. Scour sink, tub, and shower drain pipes spotlesswhether they be clogged by hair, food, grease, or soap scumwith this caustic cleaner. Jeyes Drain Unblocker for Outdoor Drains. 3 What chemicals should not go into a septic tank? If you have a clogged drain, you may be tempted to reach for a chemical drain cleaner. When using lye to open a drain, always read the directions on the product label first. Lye works because it is caustic and actually dissolves hair and grease, which are the root causes of the drain clog. Instant Power Crystal Lye Drain Cleaner 1650. Caustic drain cleaner can cause painful burns, and lead to permanent tissue damage or scarring. It can even eat away at metal pipes. Lye gets hot enough to boil water as it works in the drain, so it's important to start out with cold water rather than making hot water even hotter. 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. Privacy & Legal My options are cast iron, or the plastic utility type sinks used for laundry, or stainless steel, but I really don't like stainless steel sinks so hopefully the others will be okay. Some advanced hobbyists use sodium hydroxide aka lye to achieve a double-acting electrolyte/cleaning solution, but for most, the simpler . | 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? Step 2 of a cast iron sewer pipe repair: reinforce the trench. To remove tree roots from your sewer line effectively, its best to call a professional. Sometimes broken pipes, encroaching tree roots and other plumbing issues masquerade as clogged pipes when the problem is much more serious. | Als Plumbing Plano Texas. For use in kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs, and showers. Finally, avoid lye if you have a septic system. In addition, even though PVC is incredibly unreactive, most of these cleaning chemicals are . Can lye damage pipes? The sinks, especially the kitchen sink, were often clogged. If youre dealing with a clogged drain, you may be tempted to reach for the nearest bottle of drain cleaner. Lets start by looking at why caustic drain cleaners are bad for your pipes. 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. If you toss these down the drain you will be killing off all the good bacteria that help to break down waste and keep your system running the way it should. Now that you know why you should avoid caustic drain cleaners, lets look at how to safely remove your clog. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Avoid inhalation of the stuff. Cast iron can remain in the lye bath indefinitely without damage to the iron. Always add the lye to the water, never the reverse-- it will create a thermal reaction which can cause it to boil up and splash on you. Lye can help with very slow drains but never use it in a drain that you suspect to be clogged solid. You can purchase it at Amazon as sodium hydroxide or lye, pure lye drain opener, caustic soda, and pure or food-grade sodium hydroxide. Alkaline drain cleaners, on the other hand, typically use lye as the main ingredient. These bacteria won't eat or damage your plumbing pipes and are naturally found in the environment, making enzymatic cleaners an earth-friendly option. As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. Follow us on our social networks for special updates and offers! 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. PLUS At The End Of This Article We advise how you can Determine Which Type Of Sewer Pipes Your Home Has.. These manual drain cleaners won't hurt your pipes. Do not mix lye with other chemicals. It doesn't matter what type of pipes you have, either: Chemical drain cleaners can damage PVC, galvanized steel, copper and iron pipes. Let it solidify and put it in the trash. 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