Plumbing involves the installation, repair, and maintenance of pipes that convey water and waste. These systems are essential for delivering clean water and disposing of sewage in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
The best way to keep your drains free-flowing is to pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of white vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction eliminates odors and clears minor clogs. Visit Website to learn more.
Chemical drain cleaners are available as liquid, gel and powder formulas and break down hair, grease, food and other organic materials that clog drains. They are easy to use and often provide quick results. However, they can also be harmful to the environment and to people who use them improperly. Before using chemical drain cleaners, it’s important to understand how they work and what types of clogs they are effective against.
The main ingredients in most chemical drain cleaners are acids, alkaline and oxidizers. Acidic cleaners contain sulfuric acid, which eats away at the clog to dissolve it. These products are effective against most hair and food clogs but are not usually safe to use on more severe blockages. They can also damage pipes, especially older ones made of galvanized steel.
Caustic drain cleaners contain bases with a high pH, which release OH-ions that generate heat to melt and dissolve grease clogs. These products are effective against most food and soap clogs, but can be damaging to pipe surfaces.
Oxidizing drain cleaners consist of bleach, peroxide or nitrates that remove clogs by drawing electrons from water molecules in the clog. These products are safer than acidic and caustic cleaners but can take more time to work on more severe clogs.
Enzymatic drain cleaners metabolize the material in the clog by biological and enzymatic reactions. These are slower than acid, caustic and oxidizing cleaners but can be more effective on most clogs, including those caused by tree roots. They are also less likely to damage pipe surfaces than other chemical cleaners.
Homeowners can find a wide range of chemical drain cleaners at most hardware, home improvement and big box stores. They are usually easy to use and require no special plumbing tools. However, these cleaners are usually not good for the environment or for people who use them a lot. Many of them release harsh chemicals into the air, which can irritate eyes and throats. They may also destroy the bacteria in septic systems, making them ineffective. If you use them, it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and wear gloves when working with them.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural wonder product that can zap stinky trashcans, scrub grimy pans and clean mildew off shower curtains. It also relieves heartburn and deodorizes refrigerators and freezers. Its white, coarsely salt-like texture and alkaline nature makes it a natural powerhouse cleaning product.
The Medieval Egyptians quarried trona, a mineral that contains sodium carbonate, and processed it to create baking soda. It was first manufactured commercially in 1846 by two brothers-in-law named Austin Church and John Dwight, who distributed it as Arm & Hammer. Baking soda is now an everyday household item and is found in a variety of products, from toothpaste to mouthwash.
Most baking soda available in grocery stores is pure, food-grade sodium bicarbonate. It acts as a leavener, reacting with acids to produce carbon dioxide gas that helps batter or dough rise. Without this chemical reaction, muffins, cakes and bread would fall flat in the oven.
Baking powder has the same basic chemical makeup as baking soda, but it is pre-mixed with a dry acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar. When mixed with water, it produces carbon dioxide in a similar way to baking soda. Because it doesn’t require moisture, it can be kept in the fridge longer than cake or cookie batter, which must be cooked immediately.
Both baking soda and baking powder work as an abrasive scouring agent. It’s gentle enough to polish silverware, but strong enough to remove burnt-on foods from pots and pans. It can also be used as a substitute for commercial oven cleaners and as an effective drain opener.
Because it’s alkaline, baking soda neutralizes odors in the refrigerator and freezer. It can also be poured into shoeboxes to absorb foul odors from shoes and boots. To keep shoes smelling fresh, place a piece of cheesecloth or thin fabric in each shoe.
A mixture of baking soda and vinegar works well to dissolve soap scum and sludge from the tub or shower. The mixture can be poured directly onto the affected surface and scrubbed with a sponge or brush. Rinse thoroughly.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a common household ingredient that can be used to clean and clear clogged drains. The natural acidity of vinegar can break up and dissolve food particles, grease, soap scum, and other debris that accumulate in the pipes and cause a blockage. Vinegar also has antibacterial properties that help kill bacteria and other harmful microbes. The natural, safe, and inexpensive nature of vinegar makes it an ideal replacement for chemical-based drain cleaners.
Vinegar has a long history of use in food and cooking. It is a byproduct of the fermentation of ethanol and contains acetic acid, which gives it its characteristic tart flavor. The acetic acid in vinegar can be used as a cleaning agent, but it is also commonly used as a condiment and pickling solution.
When used as a drain cleaner, vinegar can effectively remove most types of organic buildup, such as food residue and hair. The acidity of vinegar can also loosen and dissolve mineral deposits. Vinegar is also effective for removing odors from kitchen drains.
Homeowners can use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to easily clear minor clogged drains. This technique can also be used as a preventative measure to keep drains free of clogs and debris.
To prepare the drain for the vinegar, pour a cup of boiling water down the drain to help loosen any material. Next, pour a cup of vinegar down the drain. The vinegar and baking soda will react, producing a fizzing action that can dislodge and break up food particles, grease, and other debris.
While vinegar is effective for removing many types of food residue and other organic matter from the drain, it is not suitable for more severe or persistent clogs. Vinegar may also damage the rubber seals in the drain pipe over time. For these reasons, it is important to call a professional plumber for a thorough inspection of the clogged drain and pipe.
Using a combination of baking soda and vinegar to clear a clogged drain is an easy, safe, and economical alternative to chemical drain cleaners. This method is particularly effective for eliminating odors and preventing future clogs from forming.
Hot Water
Water heated to hotter temperatures, or simply “hot water” has many uses in homes and businesses. It is usually supplied in pipes and plumbing fixtures such as faucets, showers, toilets, laundry tubs and dishwashers. The plastic piping materials represented by PPI’s Building & Construction division are used in plumbing distribution systems and are often approved for use in model plumbing codes across the US.
Inside your home or business’s water heater is a dip tube, which brings cold water in from the base of the tank and the heating element, which heats up to your set temperature. The hottest water is located at the top of your hot water supply, as it has less density than cold water and, by nature, rises.
Thoughtful design of hot-water plumbing using recirculation loops close to the point of use can significantly reduce wait times for hot water, saving water and energy while making occupants happy. The ASPE-accredited and ICC-accredited course Design of Hot Water Systems to Optimize Performance and Efficiency explains how this is achieved.