will lye damage cast iron pipes

You can get one on Amazon. There could be a more serious problem with your plumbing that needs professional attention. Lye can form a solid crystal plug and pressure can build beneath it and blow it right into your unprotected eyes. Epoxy Pipe Coating Does Not Coat Evenly. Read more: Can You Use Drano in a Toilet? This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely , Oct 28, 2021While safe for occasional use on slow drains, drain cleaner chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to expensive repair bills. Thanks for posting! Flush the drain well with warm water the next morning. Lye can corrode aluminum so make . I use one by Enerzen and it works well. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It can be bad for you're pipes depending on the age and wear and tear if your pipes, also this stuff is basically acid and will if left unattended or in the pipe start to eat through the inner walls, old brass traps under sinks are especially this and could leak, always flush out the lines Ryan Carlyle When plunging doesn't work, try clearing the drain with a straightened wire hanger, auger or snake. The answer is yes and no. Lye quickly kills . 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. Lye is available in liquid, pellet, flake or powder from most home improvement or hardware stores. You could also try making a homemade drain cleaner. Although it wont melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Lye is an alkaline chemical that is known for its caustic nature. Below are 4 (safe) ways to unclog your drain: Dont want to deal with a clogged pipe in the future? Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Cast iron rusts, and cast iron drain pipes fail. Theme Kourtier Blog by. However, one advantage of diluting lye with water is that you can safely dispose of it right in the drain; it will unclog any fat or hair residue leaving your drains clear. Lye will react with metals such as aluminum, cast iron and steel. Lye is available in liquid, pellet, flake or powder from most home improvement or hardware stores. . If your home employs plastic pipes, use the solution sparingly, if at all. Lye, NaOh, Sodium Hydroxide, caustic soda, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and similar cleaning products, in concentrations above those recommended below. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Chemicals used to unclog a toilet may end up helping, but using them is a huge risk. Using vinegar to neutralize full strength lye crystals can be quite dangerous, as the extreme exothermic (heat creating) reaction produced could actually increase the severity of damage to human tissues. Once a chemical drain cleaner eats through a pipe, it can cause a leak, which is far more expensive to fix than clearing a clog. Non-corrosive water will not only prolong the life of pipes but also reduce lead and copper levels in the water. We don't want that reaction happening anywhere on our counter tops, floors, and definitely not the skin. 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 . You can nest as many as you want. Cut enough 2x4s, slightly longer than the width of the trench, to brace the walls every three or four feet. We recommend using a pan scraper or the Lodge Chainmail Scrubber to remove any stuck-on residue. Drano contains chemicals that can severely damage your pipes. There is such a thing as food grade lye. }); Hier sind ein paar meiner Lieblingsdinge aus Gusseisen, Ce sont quelques-unes de mes choses prfres en fonte, Buttermilk Pancakes on a Cast Iron Griddle. Safety First! Lye: Lye is typically used as a disinfectant and in soap-making, but you can also use it to unclog a drain. Its best to use drain cleaners only as a last resort and to contact a plumber if you have a persistent clog. This corrosion can lead to leaks and even burst pipes. The cost can range from the low end of a few thousand to thousands of dollars depending on home location and location of the cast iron. When cooking with olive oil at high temperatures, it is important to use a light olive oil, also called a mild olive oil. Since lye will not remove rust, the usual protocol when using both lye and electrolysis is to de-crud with lye first, then finish with electroysis to remove rust and any remaining crud. It can take awhile for drain cleaning chemicals to move through a slow drain, giving them plenty of time to heat up your pipes along the way. Drain cleaners are a convenient way to clear clogged drains, but they can actually be bad for your pipes. I might have to try one of these methods! Pour 1 heaping tablespoon of lye crystals into the drain. When working with lye, keep a bowl of vinegar nearby to splash on any skin the lye accidentally comes in contact with. Lye is actually found in most drain cleaners. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Welcome to Livings Cented! Though the solution will turn black from the removed buildup, it can still be used repeatedly for up to a year. Lye, also called caustic soda and sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make soap. This is your one-stop encyclopedia that has numerous frequently asked questions answered. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Old, corroded pipes can be easily damaged, and Drano can quickly eat away at the glue holding pipes together. Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. Why Drano is DangerousDrano sits in a pipe until the clog dissolves, continually reacting and generating heat. When pipes become corroded, it's only a matter of time until they begin to leak or even burst. As long as its used properly, lye is generally safe for use in PVC drains. George Brazil Plumbing & Electrical: Do Chemical Drain Cleaners Damage Pipes? Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested! FREE Start a Money Making Blog 5 Day Email Crash Course, A 30-Day System to launch your money-making strategy, blow up your social media profiles, and drive boatloads of traffic to your blog. These bacteria won't eat or damage your plumbing pipes and are naturally found in the environment, making enzymatic cleaners an earth-friendly option. For Lowes, Its Roebic brand in a black bottle, 2lbs. 2. Remember high school chemistry? Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Theyll kill your pipes. Using one of these chemical cleaners to unclog your drain could cause more harm than good in the long run. Instant Power Crystal Lye Drain Cleaner 1650. Sodium hydroxide (lye) has long been used to clean steel and cast iron (BUT NOT ALUMINUM) car parts. House Trick, What Dissolves Tree Roots In Sewer Lines? Any similar, sturdy container capable of holding its volume in water, with a secure cover to keep out inquisitive children or pets will also suffice. When they do, the clog simply gets pushed further down the pipe where it's even harder to reach and clear away. Add another tablespoon of lye to the drain if the water still drains slowly as you flush out the lye or if you still have standing water. Don't leave the iron in the vinegar and water too long at a time because it will pit the iron. 30-day Blogging Fast Track Course. These are safer for PVC pipes but still need to be used with caution. If you have cast iron pipes in your home, it's important to be careful when using lye-based cleaners on them. Reactions of Lye and PVC Since lye is so basic and caustic, it can harm PVC piping. 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. You could also try making a homemade drain cleaner. Once all the acid is neutralized I would wash with water and dry quickly. Vinegar will counteract lye and stop its burning. Do not mix lye with other chemicals. The lye will sink to the bottom of the drain and clear the clog quite effectively. Between the years 1985 and 1998, some ABS pipe contained plastic resin that could cause the pipe to crack and ultimately leak. This is unnecessary, as simple dilution with plenty of tap water will easily drop the pH to non-hazardous levels. Clearing a Cast Iron Sewer Pipe Clog. Is Caustic Drain Cleaner Bad for Pipes? Drano is a product that many people use to unclog their drains. If cast iron is underneath a concrete slab, all the concrete will have to be jackhammered in order to expose the pipes . Polystyrene is brittle and will shatter easily when dropped or bent. When the lye dissolves the grease, it releases explosive hydrogen. Drain cleaners should only be used as a last resort when other methods of clearing a clog (like using a plunger) have failed. So how do we clean up that gunky old cast iron flea market find? This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely . Lye (sodium hydroxide) is a naturally occuring substance leached from wood ashes. Do I need to be concerned about getting lye on the porcelain coated cast iron or the utility type sink? Sometimes broken pipes, encroaching tree roots and other plumbing issues masquerade as clogged pipes when the problem is much more serious. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit for 24 hours. Cast iron can remain in the lye bath indefinitely without damage to the iron. Navigation~ Forums TOS Use a good rust preventing primer before painting. It doesnt matter what type of pipes you have, either: Chemical drain cleaners can damage PVC, galvanized steel, copper and iron pipes. You can crack cast iron by repeatedly heating it up and rinsing with cold water before it has cooled down properly. If the second treatment doesn't do it, you'll need to call a plumber. Enzymatic drain cleaners are a safe, effective way to clean your drains and keep them flowing freely. 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. Lye (sodium hydroxide or caustic soda) is . quite effective. To remove tree roots from your sewer line effectively, its best to call a professional. Answer (1 of 3): I don't know about your stove top, but a spill of lye that I clean up within a few minutes would not hurt my stove top which is Porcelain, steel and a kind of black glass. Before using it, open the windows and make sure that there is sufficient ventilation. Lye and bleach can lead to serious chemical burns on the skin, in the eyes and in the respiratory system if not handled properly with full protective gear. Palladium hydroxide x Only in highly diluted aqueous solutions; otherwise disposed of as hazardous waste. At the concentration recommended for cast iron cleaning, it is still a skin irritant and potentially damaging to the eyes. Notice: Lye is a caustic substance. 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. Lye can safely be used to clean nickel or chrome plated pieces. If youre dealing with a clogged drain, you may be tempted to reach for the nearest bottle of drain cleaner. If youre using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. Terry's Plumbing: Are Chemical Drain Cleaners Safe for Pipes? This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. It doesn't matter what type of pipes you have, either: Chemical drain cleaners can damage PVC, galvanized steel, copper and iron pipes. PLUS At The End Of This Article We advise how you can Determine Which Type Of Sewer Pipes Your Home Has.. When the lye dissolves the grease, it releases explosive hydrogen. In cast iron pipes, the accumulation of rust is called tuberculation. If youre using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. The thin spots fail. There are safer ways to neutralize lye spills when making soap, my friend, so read on. 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. Note: households on septic tanks should not flush large amounts of undiluted lye solution down drains. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. When working with it, the lye can damage surfaces that it comes into contact with, including your skin. Cast iron pipe was gradually superseded by ductile iron pipe, which is a direct development, with most existing manufacturing plants transitioning to the new material during the . Wait for about 10 seconds, then turn on the faucet and allow water to flow slowly into the drain. Drain cleaners are a convenient way to clear clogged drains, but many people dont realize that they can actually be bad for your pipes. 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. Although it won't melt them, lye is still highly corrosive and can damage cast iron pipes as well. Lye is a caustic substance, meaning it has a pH that is extremely alkaline. Once a chemical drain cleaner eats through a pipe, it can cause a leak, which is far more expensive to fix than clearing a clog. Let it solidify and put it in the trash. 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. There is also food-grade sodium hydroxide, sold in some specialty cooking stores. Go as small as you can for the size of piece you need to do. Call us at 734-761-7154, or email us at info@michiganpowerrodding.com today. Lye drain cleaners also release heat (as do acid-based products) that softens and deforms plastic pipes. . Best Option #3 - Picote. But are these harsh chemicals actually bad for your pipes? As such, you should only use lye as a last resort even if your pipes are metal. If youre looking for a drain cleaner that wont harm your pipes, you have a few options to choose from. Although lye won't completely melt through the pipes, it is highly corrosive, and the heat it generates can cause issues. If the drain backs up, turn off the water and wait a bit longer. Mineral acids (Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid) Sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide. Pipes used to distribute drinking water are made of plastic, concrete, or metal (e.g., steel, galvanized steel, ductile iron, copper, or aluminum). In addition to causing pipe damage, drain cleaners can also cause serious injury if not used properly. Sodium hydroxide produces an exothermic reaction when mixed with water. The lye will sink to the bottom of the drain and clear the clog quite effectively. How rayon is different from synthetic fibre? This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. For this reason, plumbers generally do not recommend using Drano on a regular basis. Lye, also called caustic soda and sodium hydroxide, is a substance frequently used to make soap. May 30, 2022Will lye damage cast iron pipes? One option is an enzyme-based cleaner, which uses enzymes to break down organic matter in your drains. Always add lye to the water and not the other way around! If you're using lye to unclog a kitchen sink, clear the sink first. The sinks, especially the kitchen sink, were often clogged. The problem is even worse when a drain is completely clogged, forcing the chemicals to sit in one place rather than moving along. Sodium Hypochlorite/Strong BLEACH // pH=12.5. Privacy & Legal CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. Finally, avoid lye if you have a septic system. If you're wrestling with a clog, grab a plunger before you do anything else. Regarding this, will Lye damage plastic pipes? More information. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Pour the recommended amount of drain cleaner (about 200 ml or about 7 ounces) slowly into the drain. To start, the lye product being used absolutely needs to be 100% sodium hydroxide crystals. Unclog drains with lye. Lye that encounters a solid clog will accumulate there. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. When you have a clogged drain and youre in need of a quick fix, it might be tempting to turn to a chemical drain cleaner. Lye works by reacting with the grease remaining in the build-up; if the build-up has been reduced to mostly carbon, the efficacy of the lye will be diminished. Now that you know why you should avoid caustic drain cleaners, lets look at how to safely remove your clog. A Michigan Tech Explains, MassLandlords.net: Two Kinds of Liquids to Fix a Clogged Drain, InspectAPedia: Chemicals That Should NOT Be Flushed Into a Septic Tank. What chemicals should not go into a septic tank? Bust a Sewer Clog With Enzyme-Based Drain Cleaner Its hardly ever a good idea to put Drano or a similar product in the toilet because it contains sodium hydroxide, which generates heat and can damage the pipes. Are Drain Cleaners Bad for Pipes? Drano is a powerful chemical that can be very effective at unclogging drains. 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. Copyright2022AnswerFoundry.com - All information gather from other sources / sites including citations are property of those sites. Lye should . At the concentration recommended for cast iron cleaning, it is still a skin irritant and potentially damaging to the eyes. Lye should not be used to clean cast aluminum ware as it will dissolve it. This could detonate your drains, except the hydrogen gets safely absorbed by the sodium nitrate. Lye can help with very slow drains but never use it in a drain that you suspect to be clogged solid. It can be, under various circumstances, if mishandled. While safe for occasional use on slow drains, drain cleaner chemicals can damage your pipes and lead to expensive repair bills. Place 2 to 3 tsp. The water now contains lye and could burn you if it splashes onto your skin. Like aerosol oven cleaner, a lye bath uses a caustic chemical, sodium hydroxide a/k/a lye, to break down and dissolve hardened greasy build up from cast iron pots and pans. If you use drain cleaners regularly, or if they dont seem to be working as well as they used to, its time to call a plumber. If it isn't, leave it to sit or add cold water until it is. But they're very corrosive to pipes (including galvanized steel, copper, and iron) as well as fixtures and fittings. Jeyes Drain Unblocker for Outdoor Drains. Will lye damage cast iron pipes? 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. If you use a caustic drain cleaner, such as lye, it can damage your PVC pipes. If its summer time, that is ideal as lye works better in warm conditions. Lye works because it is caustic and actually dissolves hair and grease, which are the root causes of the drain clog. It comes in liquid form, flakes, or crystals. This . Lye that encounters a solid clog will accumulate there. Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali that decomposes proteins at ordinary ambient temperatures and may cause severe chemical burns.It is highly soluble in water, and readily . This will allow him to protect himself from any lye still present. By maintaining a central position, the "cyclone" circular chain does not bang against the side of the pipe when in . Adding lye to room temperature water can cause the water to reach temperatures up to 200 F. The mixture also creates fumes, which should not be inhaled.
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