What Does Drano Do To Your Pipes?

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What Does Drano Do To Your Pipes?

Рет қаралды 160,671

Күн бұрын

What Does Drano Do To Your Pipes?
Ever wondered about the impact of Drano on your plumbing? In this eye-opening video, we dive deep into the world of drain cleaners and explore what Drano does to your pipes. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or just curious about household products, a must-watch for anyone before they put a drop-down your drain.
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⏰ Chapters:
Intro ▶️ 00:00
Hypothesis ▶️ 00:12
Pouring Drano on pipes ▶️ 00:40
6 months later ▶️ 02:15
Drano vs PVC Pipe ▶️ 02:56
Drano vs Poly Pipe ▶️ 04:30
Drano vs Copper Pipe ▶️ 05:26
Drano vs Galvanized Pipe ▶️ 06:41
Drano vs Black Steel Pipe ▶️ 07:17
Drano vs Chrome Pipe ▶️ 07:57
Drano vs Dishwasher Hose ▶️ 08:46
Drano vs Rubber Hose ▶️ 09:25
Drano vs Cast Iron Pipe ▶️ 11:20
Final Thoughts ▶️ 13:47
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Thanks for watching! I'm Roger Wakefield, The Expert Plumber, and welcome to my channel. On this channel, it's ALL about plumbing. We play games, we experiment, and we have FUN here, talking and learning about all things plumbing!
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Пікірлер: 756

@frogmanpipes9561 7 ай бұрын

Ive used drain-o and it's worked for me plenty of times. Saving me a ton of money. It has it time and place. And works great. Also following directions is important

@boricuaMaldo 7 ай бұрын

yeah, nowhere in the instructions does it say to leave in for 6 months.

@TraceguyRune 6 ай бұрын

Yeah, this experiment is as stupid as the people who show what happens to McDonalds after several weeks. No one keeps McDonalds in their stomach for several weeks, and no one leaves drain cleaner in their drain for 6 months

@fauxque5057 6 ай бұрын

Just used Draino Gel on my bathroom sink. Poured 1/2 the bottle in and waited 15 minutes. Flushed with hot water and I still had a slow moving drain. So I dumped in the other 1/2 of bottle and left it for about 15 hours over night. Next day ran hot water through it. It burped a few times and then water ran through it fine. Looking down the drain with a flashlight all I see now is clean white PVC. It was caked with a black film from gel shaving creme and whiskers. Draino worked for me after I ignored the instructions

@Grimmwoldds 6 ай бұрын

@@fauxque5057 A lot of people use draino when what they REALLY need to do it disassemble the actuator linkage attached stopper and remove the hairball wrapped around it.

@madmike9398 6 ай бұрын

for the love of God, use Bioclean... I am a plumber FYI. bioclean is a preventative. perfect for those who have old galvanized and cast iron piping and don't want them to deteriorate faster.

@TGears314 6 ай бұрын

I’ll keep it simple, I’ve used this product effectively a handful of times (less than 5) in my decade of home ownership. I’ve only had those times to try it, and it’s worked flawlessly each time. My drains flow, it takes 10-15 minutes, and it worked. It also didn’t stay for 90 days in my pipes

@Smol_Eri 6 ай бұрын

As he mentioned at the end of the video, if your outer piping has some sort of a bend in it, the drano can sit at the bottom and cause chattle rot. he's not saying "this will definately happen if you use this product even 1 time and it will destroy your house" but when using products, knowing the risks, so if you do get chattle rot later you can be like "ah, i used drano 90 days, it must have sat there" and give the plumers something to work with other than "oi pipe rotting pls fix" it would inform them "hey, maybe switching to PVC is a good idea here so the chances of it hapening again are neutralized compleately" These days we don't give our professionals enough to work with, then are surprised when we have recurring problems that cost us a ton of money. my mom and I bought out house we lived in for 26 years. Mom wanted to put new carpeting over a very old plywood floor and call it "new". I told her, new plywood is cheap, and if we replace both the floor and the carpet we'll get a longer lifespan out of the charpet as old liquids are probably rotting through the wood. we had some people pull it up, and they found just a SMALL amount of mold. would have rotted out our floor given another few decades, now it's cleaned up, we have new plywood and the carpet looks fantastic. Furthermore in say 2 decades, we won't need to do a very costly repair because we didn't just slap down a new carpet and call it good. Just some things to keep in mind. Also congrats on a decade. We're just starting home ownership, so if you have any tips at all, I would be more than interested to hear them

@Netherlands031 6 ай бұрын

@@Smol_Eri Here's a tip for you - mold (spores) is/are everywhere, and it's only the availability of water and nutrients that make it grow colonies visible to the naked eye. If you have moldy underlayment, the question should be, how did it get wet? Maybe there was a leak, or maybe you need a moisture barrier.

@Smol_Eri 6 ай бұрын

@@Netherlands031 I appreciate that and will definitely look into it

@MadScientist267 6 ай бұрын

Thing is, he's not addressing the formula. One version is sulfuric acid, the other is sodium hydroxide. Complete opposites of each other. They do not behave the same and don't have the same effects on pipes as a result.

@christophervanzetta 6 ай бұрын

@@Smol_EriSo you are basically saying you rarely shower 😂

@stevem1081 6 ай бұрын

This is why I use the fine stainless mesh strainers in all my sinks and tub/showers. They collect a lot of things that the regular covers/strainers don't.

@Netherlands031 6 ай бұрын

Yeah and then you have to clean those every day. IMO it's much better to just flush it away and use a plunger every few months

@stevem1081 6 ай бұрын

@@Netherlands031 you are correct, every day or every other day I spend like 5 seconds and wipe it off and toss the hair in the trash. Also after every shower, I squeegee the walls and door. I never have any mold or build up to scrub. So I either spend a few seconds a day to keep things clean, and not stopped up or it will happen at an very inconvenient time and spend hours fixing it. But I like your way, it helps keep plumbers in business.

@stevedoe1630 6 ай бұрын

Planned maintenance vs. Unplanned maintenance

@stevem1081 6 ай бұрын

@@stevedoe1630 that or smart vs not.

@TheMahtimursu 6 ай бұрын

@@stevem1081I’ve never used any mesh and I regularly flush beard hair etc down the drain. I have never had any blockages or other pipe issues.

@SoLowKaspar 7 ай бұрын

No opinion. You hit the nail on the head with this. I'm a maintenance worker for an apartment complex. Been there for about 8-9 years and plumbing is a big part of that.

@doll9340 8 ай бұрын

I'm loving all of the random experiments you've doing! Like the 5 minute crafts and testing different products

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Glad you like them!

@TheCarterlawson 8 ай бұрын

I always trust Roger with advice on my pipe

@sciondb7152 8 ай бұрын

You should put a fitting on there to see if it effects the glue. Even if the pipe is ok if the glue fails it could cause a issue.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

That’s an idea we had after the test…that would’ve been good…next time, thanks for the thought!

@alexmccormick7199 7 ай бұрын

Also ferncos and no hub bands, just for S’s and G’s, found this very informative. Thanks for the effort. I always suggest hot water only after a drain has been snaked.

@christopherrto 7 ай бұрын

@@RogerWakefield Would have also loved to see ABS in the test. In the great white north every house has ABS somewhere, everything newer is the entire drain system sink to curb.

@dannythompson1948 7 ай бұрын

It doesn't

@Bigdog1787 6 ай бұрын

The blue you use on PVC is made to melt the PVC to join the 2 together so if it gets rid of the excess blue that's ok the PVC is now joined at one.

@catfishtv411 8 ай бұрын

Im loving these drain cleaner videos, make more of these these are my favourite! Also fun fact: Lye can be used both as a drain cleaner and for making solid soaps.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

More drain cleaner videos coming! We’re having fun making them

@kathleenrobertpogue6818 8 ай бұрын

This was not very scientific at all. It doesn't really tell you anything. Like why let the pipe sit in sodium hydroxide for a month. Man is pretending the blaming never gets used again. You flush the toilet, you use the sink. It gets diluted and washed away. Nothing about this was done in a scientific way at all.

@Tomeccho 7 ай бұрын

Lye and draino are both highly caustic. So they both share similarities when up against similar problems, especially those of the organic kind - food, bodily fluids, all kinds of feces, grass stains (on clothes), oils, grease, hair/skin/nails (keratin) etc Anything highly caustic will eat and cause perishing of natural rubbers, so seals etc need to be taken into account. They will also both eat aluminium to nothing. If in doubt, follow up a dose of draino with a good quantity of cleaning vinegar (acid) as a neutralising agent. My experience: use of strong alkaline and acid cleaners in the dairy industry. And when I say strong, even at the correctly diluted rate, the alkaline will eat the ridges from your fingertips and leave the pads baby butt smooth and ready for a crime spree! In powder form, if mixed to a thick paste, it will blister, wrinkle and remove paint from painted surfaces. Have fun 🖖 don't blow anything up!

@phillipsusi1791 6 ай бұрын

Lye is basically what Drano is.

@catfishtv411 6 ай бұрын

@@phillipsusi1791 Drano is a solution of lye and sodium hypochlorite (bleach).

@Critter145 6 ай бұрын

My wife works in property management in Nashville. One of the properties she worked with was built in the seventies, with cast iron pipes… long story short, the residents kept getting leaks because the pipes were corroding apart inside the walls. Essentially the whole complex needed to be torn down, but rent is high and people need homes.

@scottbitz5222 8 ай бұрын

As a homeowner and someone who understand these chemicals just a bit (went to college for engineering and multiple levels of chemistry are required so have a really good understanding of what strong acids and bases can do) I typically don't reach for these until I'm really having problems with my drains because I'm using baking soda and vinegar and a plunger to help, but when they get bad (seriously, my daughter and wife shed like maniacs) I'll use these and then often add a plunger to finish getting it through, however, now I'm thinking since my main line is cast iron (rest is PVC) I should run more vinegar down there once I'm done since that'll neutralize the Lye in these cleaners at least!

@Jaydayallday 8 ай бұрын

Mr Scotty quick question would be would his test be better if he didn’t cap these for time being ? Was wondering if left open and exposed to oxygen in the air would promote or speed up any damages. I am no engineer or chemist at all but that came to my mind. Just thinking from locktite thread sealant reacts to when two metals touch it starts to active but doesn’t get hard inside of bottle or if it touches plastic pipe or just outside of container has no effect on it.

@jam9297 8 ай бұрын

As a homeless man with degrees in thievery and crack-smoking, I can attest to the fact that adding vinegar to neutralize the base is a good idea. Just don't add so much acid that you go fast past 7ph the other way. Or you can just crap in the bushes like me and not have to worry about this stuff.

@timfreeman8656 8 ай бұрын

@@jam9297mofo leave your lame attempt at Internet humor elsewhere. The grown folks are talking science lil wigga

@ranger178 8 ай бұрын

some of the drain cleaners are acids instead of bases I had copper under kitchen sink eaten away just by things like vinegar and baking soda

@rowdyproudy2242 8 ай бұрын

Baking soda solidifies inside of drains. Please don't, Mr. Engineer

@user-rz8ld7iq8h 6 ай бұрын

Homeowner here. IMHO, when used as directed, these products are safe in general. I agree with you about them being dangerous chemicals that should be respected. I put drain cleaner down my tub one time, but I didn't flush it with water and it took the chrome plating right off the drain ! LIve an learn 😄

@PetePuebla 5 ай бұрын

So glad you did this video and would love to see more videos like this on corrosion and pipes.

@WestinsChannel 8 ай бұрын

I was told the issue with PVC and Drain-O, is that the draino dissolves the glue/primer inside of the fittings.

@chris76-01 8 ай бұрын

So we need to try the same experiment using a glued fitting and pipe.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Testing that soon

@WJCTechyman 5 ай бұрын

Is PVC not chemically welded with the cement? I thought the same was for ABS as well.

@coreybarnwell2621 7 ай бұрын

I'd be curious to see if it had any affect on different types of joints, like soldered copper, pipe dope and tape, and different glues

@Zadamanim 7 ай бұрын

I had the same thought. It might not burn a hole directly through your pipes but it might damage the glue that holds pipes together.

@bowez9 6 ай бұрын

For one pipes aren't glued they are solvent welded. It might affect solder but not "glued" plastic pipe.

@coreybarnwell2621 5 ай бұрын

@@bowez9 but you knew exactly what I was talking about right? So you're just arguing semantics just to show how "smart" you are? Every plumber knows that the joints are, "welded," but does that stop us from calling most cements, "glue." No. The same as anyone that's not a pretentious douchebag calls all locking pliers, "Vice Grips." We are well aware that Vice Grips are a brand, as well as Skil Saw and Sawzall, and so forth, but 99% of everyone on the job site is still going to call every brand of reciprocating saw, a, "Sawzall," and a circular saw, a, "Skil saw." The industry standard is gonna be what everyone calls it, not what the ,"actually☝️🤓" guy has to announce every chance he gets because he thinks it makes him look smarter. Do you call pipe glue or cement, "pipe welding solvent?" And welded joints are not 100% the exact same consistency as a factory made pipe, which is specifically why joints are weaker. So what would make you so sure that it couldn't affect it at all? You're not 100% sure. You just wanted to sound smart when you're really just coming of as pretentious to someone who's been building and plumbing houses for over 25 years

@nitemare1004 5 ай бұрын

this is VERY informative, thank you! my friend has a house and a year after they moved int their bathroom sink started to have sewage backup. it smelled HORRIBLE! and then they finally had a plumber come out to fix the issue, the problem was something blocked in the pipe. the plumber asked if my friend uses drano and my friend said no. the plumber tells them that it's a good idea NOT to use drano because the chemicals can damage the pipes and cause leakage. if the issue wasn't just the sink pipes, then it was something in the walls, if not the walls, the floor pipes, if not that, the septik tank, which would cost an arm and leg to completely fix. we all learned something new from that plumber. if you're reading this, mr plumber, thank you!!

@plumbermanplumbingllc7547 5 ай бұрын

OK.... I broke down and subscribed.. As a fellow plumber from the state of Florida, I've got to say your videos grab my attention and are very well done. I'm not sure if some appreciate how much work and effort videos like yours take to produce. Alas, we may not agree on everything, but I respect your knowledge and experience a lot. You seem like a great guy in addition. BTW, loved the videos on wax rings and the debate over wax vs. rubber. When I was a newbie, I was a good soldier and did whatever I was told, used what my employer provided or wanted. From the beginning, I always hated wax rings but installed them as I was told. Now that I have my own company and call the shots.. not one wax ring has gone on my truck! That aside, I don't think I've ever heard a customer tell me they used drano and saved them from calling a plumber/drain cleaner. I have access to some of the nasty acids you do(Clobber-sulfuric or muriatic-hydrochloric) and they are much more effective and dangerous than what homeowners buy off the shelf. To me, it's always seemed like drano is nothing more than a strong bleach solution(I may be wrong).. but while the drains always have that bleachy clean smell, it almost never clears the clog.. Roger, you've been doing this longer than I have with much broader experience; so here's a question... how long have they coated cast iron to stop corrosion? Also, how effective is it? Any idea how long it lasts? Thanks!

@alexsystems2001 7 ай бұрын

As a homeowner I’ll tell you my opinion on drain-o but first, I have a story. I called out a plumber because I was getting a bad smell from my kitchen drain. One plumber offered to scam my homeowners insurance to do what he titled a “mini remodel”, another plumber said nothing is wrong and the last one said that I needed a new HVAC system in my house. Turns out, I went out and cut the stucco and found behind my wall in my kitchen the drain vent had broken from the drain line for my kitchen sink because when the house was built it was at a very extreme angle and stressed the pipe. It was NOT leaking any liquid at all, it was just a drain VENT. About $45 later it was fixed, the following week I patched up the stucco for about $100. So to me, what do I think of drain-o, if you are a homeowner? Unless you know a good plumber, I’d give drain-o a chance. I had a drain in an upstairs shower plugged that my Mom uses, she has long hair and it finally plugged the drain, drain-o worked really well. Is it the end all be all? NO. Does it have its place in small issues, YES. I once had a clog of carrots in my kitchen main drain, I did NOT use drain-o, I got out my hand snake and ran it down the line. So drain-o has its place and use.

@KevinBenecke 8 ай бұрын

This is a great demonstration. But you missed the black ABS pipe in one of those jars.

@bguen1234 8 ай бұрын

Drano doesn’t harm your pipes at all when used according to the directions. Some plumbers would just rather you call them than solve the problem for a coiple of bucks.

@friedpancakes266 8 ай бұрын

According to some, instructions are suggestions. Drain cleaner has kept plumbers in business for decades on this one principle

@chris76-01 8 ай бұрын

The real battle is everyone wanting to make money while at the same time everyone is trying to pay out as little as possible. 😊

@atedinahalf6288 8 ай бұрын

@@chris76-01A system run by narcissists for narcissists

@BryceOfVarrock 7 ай бұрын

If drano worked, we the plumbers would be out of work.

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

Disagree...

@DMSteeley 6 ай бұрын

Can't wait to see how this effects the pops. 👍

@bryan.anderson 8 ай бұрын

As a home owner and diyer I'm surprised by the results of the plastic pipes. But i would have liked to see abs. 🤷‍♂️. Love this vids, thanks for all you do on here.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Next time!

@catfishtv411 6 ай бұрын

ABS pipes will probably not be affected, but acetone, paint thinner and nail polish will destroy them if they sit for some time, or if it has frequent exposure

@andrewcameron9834 6 ай бұрын

What about the glue. Test the glue joints in it.

@matthewbeasley7765 6 ай бұрын

@@andrewcameron9834 ABS glue is acetone with ABS dissolved in it. Once it cures, it is the same material as the pipe.

@coffinrodriguez3150 6 ай бұрын

I wish you could do a test that involves repeatedly submerging the materials in drano and then pulling them out to expose them to the atmosphere for awhile. I really feel like atmospheric interactions with the chemicals in the drano would likely change the results you got in this video pretty substantially.

@atv182 6 ай бұрын

Excellent idea. Particularly exposure to sewer gas with H2S in it. Sure the cast iron itself wasn't damaged, but what happens when you have that cycle of caustic gel, then super corrosive sewer gas?

@SpawnReaper1993 8 ай бұрын

ABSOLUTELY do the test in lye! that would be very cool to see. also what about an exothermic reaction with a water clog? wouldn't that melt PVC and ABS?

@zitterzitterson6319 6 ай бұрын

Drano is just a mix of lye and bleach with a non-reactive (silicate) binder

@nwerd7584 6 ай бұрын

My city just went though changing all the pipes which hadn't been done in at least 100 years but probably longer. we had no water for a week but it was worth it.

@WJCTechyman 5 ай бұрын

Affecting the pipes isn't really an issue (with the exception of the cast iron) it's the adverse effects on the environment.

@Tom_Harper 8 ай бұрын

Hi Roger. Thanks for this video. When necessary in the past, I've used Green Gobbler liquid on my shower drain. It seems to do a good job and keeps it clear for months.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

We used it on hair in a recent video and it didn't dissolve it, however it did turn the hair into a slimy consistency which would make it go down the drain easier...still not impressed with it though

@Tom_Harper 8 ай бұрын

If Green Gobbler didn't impress you, is there a product that you recommend for clearing slow drains that is also safe for pipes? Thanks!@@RogerWakefield

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

I just released a video recently on my favorite tools for unclogging a drain....no chemical cleaners needed....kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m65yjZWHy7bRp58.html

@r3d-1truth17 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your service and support. I wanted to add or ask, about the black rubber pipe you stated you only use for connecting dishwashers- is this the same rubber that is used in many couplers and/or reducers used to repair plumbing lines? Cause I have a few of them in my systems- one joining some copper pipe to my newer pvc, and another used to mend a main drain line that had to be cut open to get out a greaseball ( a knot of coagulated grease). Keep up this great work, and look forward to watching many more in the future.

@antonioskaragiannis3929 7 ай бұрын

Sorry if you already covered this in another video but what about cement/glue? Just because the pipe can take it, does that mean the fittings and connections will too? Thanks for making great educational videos BTW!

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

I have not covered this yet...its coming in a future video...

@jimyeats 7 ай бұрын

The cement/solvent is causing the pvc to directly bond together, it’s melting a thin layer and cold welding the pvc together. So, the solvent cement is just needed for the initial bond, after that it’s pvc melded to pvc.

@ravedge7042 7 ай бұрын

9:45 made me spit my coffee out! LOL Good stuff!

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

Not Safe For KZfaq! 😂

@stagnantfox3027 8 ай бұрын

For better or for worse, we pretty much dont have these chemicals in Sweden, we do have some forms of drain salts but even those are extremely expensive. Sweden highly regulates chemicals that go back into waters and nature and this has the side effect of not really letting clients drown their pipes in chemicals before needing to call a plumber.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Y’all are doing it right over there…how often do your pipes get clogged?

@AlexBesogonov 6 ай бұрын

You certainly do. The drain cleaner is just lye (sodium hydroxide), and it's freely available in Sweden.

@user-vh2pk6bd3g 5 ай бұрын

That's because in Europe the EU, has band many of these chemicals

@beacjere284 8 ай бұрын

i want to see this same test again but on sealed pipe! does it break the seals? does the glue get damaged?

@bitslammer 7 ай бұрын

Love these types of videos. Really interesting to see the results.

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

More to come!

@spiketamara2007 6 ай бұрын

very informative video thanks for this.

@joegatzek585 5 ай бұрын

I worked at an apartment complex built mid 1970’s and the tub shoes had to be replaced due to pinhole and some even fell apart. It was soldered to copper, which may have helped do this. I sent you a couple of pictures years ago before having to take disability. Take care Joe the handyman.

@rogermccaslin5963 8 ай бұрын

While the drain cleaner may be heavier than water, when you flush a toilet or run a sink the turbulence of the flow will mix with and dilute the drain cleaner, even in a belly. I'd bet several flushes and there would only be trace amounts of lye left in there.

@iteagle03 8 ай бұрын

Maybe for a line with a toilet but I have doubts on a line with just a sink. I have cast iron under my house so this was an eye opener. I'm living on borrowed time until that kitchen line needs to be replaced; it's making all sorts of gurgling noises. 😮

@TheRealSykx 7 ай бұрын

@@iteagle03 all drain cleaners including flushing with lots of water in their instructions. Drain cleaners are mostly water and the chemicals in them are highly soluble in water.

@juhs 7 ай бұрын

I would like to see this same test with a glued joint to see if it affects the different adhesives. Good video!

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

Great suggestion! We are working on that right now

@rdizzy1 7 ай бұрын

Drano is never going to be sitting in there for weeks or months anyway though, it'll be sitting in there for an hour or 2 at most before you run hot water through them to rinse the dissolved clog. Maybe it would damage them if you had a concrete plugged pipe and couldn't get a plumber out for weeks and weeks I guess. The most common uses are partially clogged slow draining pipes though. Most of that stuff you are only using like 1/6th of a bottle at a time, then letting your hot water run for 5-10 minutes right afterwards, I don't think there is any evidence of it sitting in low spots in drainage pipes.

@otockian 7 ай бұрын

Exactly, if even that. I usually rinse it through after 15 minutes.

@LamarcusElwood 7 ай бұрын

At least watch the video if you're gonna comment on it...

@rdizzy1 7 ай бұрын

@@LamarcusElwood I watched the full video and then commented.

@user-nq8vm2iv9v 6 ай бұрын

He's saying a buckle in your outgoing cast iron where this stuff can accumulate since it's heavier than water. So it can set there for yrs and rot that cast iron. The pipe could be under your house in cement or outside on its way to the sewer. If you have to jack hammer up your cement floor inside your basement to replace that cast iron, well, I wouldn't want to be you. Lol

@Duck_side 6 ай бұрын

@@user-nq8vm2iv9vif your pipes are trapping drain cleaner, you have bigger problems then the drain cleaner

@russkubes 6 ай бұрын

It would be interesting to see how neoprene holds up. Specifically the "no hub" connections, or reducers. I wonder if they'll hold up better than the black rubber hose.

@WiliamBennettwildarbennett 8 ай бұрын

Recently I had the job of replacing about 35 feet of Cast Iron Drain under a house. Took me the better part of 3 days. The first day and half was cleaning up the sludge from the Kitchen Sink and the Laundry Drain all setting on the ground Rotted out.

@bumbixp 7 ай бұрын

So to make this experiment useful there should have been a control, a set of pipes in just water. Now we know that iron rusts in either lye, water, or the combination of lye and water. My guess with some high school chemistry is that the iron pipe rusted because of the water in the drain cleaner. The sodium or potassium in the lye is less noble than iron and won't oxidize it. This is why all other metals were fine since they don't oxidize in water. The rubber was pretty expected since it's organic. It's almost like someone knew what they were doing when they made the drain cleaner, choosing a chemical which corrodes organic material such as food waste and hair while not reacting at all with the metal pipe.

@malpractice118 6 ай бұрын

Yeah I had to down vote this video just click bait nonsense

@hbrucewilliamson1787 2 ай бұрын

lye and water do not corrode metal. They are basic and donate electrons to the metal. Acids corrode metals

@cj4freedom856 5 ай бұрын

No doubt cast iron and Drano combined are asking for plumbing troubles, but I must admit there are several times when I have used Drano. Wonderful experiment. Thank you. Would you be willing to try root killer on various types of pipe used to carry waste to the street, especially old school cast iron. Thanks.

@classifiedclassified7567 2 ай бұрын

I'm a mechanic by trade and it's nice learning a little from the other tradesmen.

@mattiemathis9549 6 ай бұрын

I had a long haired roommate who (because of military service) had never lived in a residence more than a couple years. He didn’t understand how leaving drano in the lines to “let it soak”, could be problematic. It was a site built, slump block home built in the 50’s. It was first site built home, so I really didn’t understand how the plumbing was run in the concrete. That was a very expensive mistake.

@Netherlands031 6 ай бұрын

There's a difference between letting it soak for an hour and doing it for six months though

@bsauce1346 8 ай бұрын

Great experiment on those PAPS Mr Wakefield!

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

@matthewsharpe8684 7 ай бұрын

Very interesting always wonder about the clog removers and

@randombutler 6 ай бұрын

Useful! Dig that safety emphasis

@RogerWakefield 6 ай бұрын

Always!

@Jerguu 7 ай бұрын

This feels a lot like those elementary school science experiments where you leave a tooth in coke and it gets dissolved nearly entirely. So the results of this don't feel surprising at all - you're also not soaking your pipe for 6 months in drain cleaner. I'd be curious to see the cast iron pipe after multiple 30 minute soaks and thorough rinses rather than sitting.

@miked172 6 ай бұрын

I like this but I kinda wish you left part of the pipes submerged, with something sitting on top of it to weigh it down. That way you can at least see what before and after looks and feels like on the same pipe.

@gavinheinke4385 8 ай бұрын

Hey Roger, maybe I missed it, but you should disolve baking soda in the water to neutralize the acid. It is also good practice to keep a box or two on hand in case of a spill/ splash when working with acids. Keep up the interesting videos!

@rdizzy1 7 ай бұрын

Most of these are basic, rather than acidic.

@Tomeccho 7 ай бұрын

@@rdizzy1in which case, you keep double strength cleaning vinegar on hand for neutralising 👍

@michaelcatalanottohandyman 8 ай бұрын

Love your videos. Man you are Good at speaking and presentations. I enjoy all your content. Hope you go viral and blow up with subscribers my man. Let’s do a free plumbing video for a needy old widow or something!

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

I appreciate that! I like that idea where are you located?

@Daniel-lk3sy 7 ай бұрын

What about the black rubber adapters that are used on drains to allow one size to fit another when you don't have a fitting to do it you use a hose clamp on both ends to attach it what would the Drano do do that?

@tobybartlett8449 6 ай бұрын

Has worked fine for me for 20+ years.

@sloanjackson8 7 ай бұрын

I do maintenance on apartments built from 1900-1970 and I have been on more than one call for leaking drain pipes - usually it’s the cast iron that is already corroded, and the resident uses draino (and I’m sure not as directed at times..) and the draino eats through the cast iron. Usually where the pipe is threaded and slightly thinner already. Definitely good to know the science if you’re planning on chemically unclogging something.

@TheRealSykx 7 ай бұрын

I'd bet they don't flush the drain and just let it sit for ages.

@sloanjackson8 7 ай бұрын

@@TheRealSykx exactly.

@AlexBesogonov 6 ай бұрын

Drano doesn't eat through cast iron. It can damage the epoxy coating that is now used to protect them from corrosion, but pipes from 1970-s don't have it. Any corrosion they have is just regular rust.

@sloanjackson8 6 ай бұрын

@@AlexBesogonov that makes sense.. so the draino eats through the rust/ finishes off the damaging process in order to cause leaks?

@AlexBesogonov 6 ай бұрын

@@sloanjackson8 Drano does NOT eat through the rust. It eats through organic matter, such as food that is clogging your pipes. Unfortunately, the epoxy coating that is used to protect pipes against corrosion is also susceptible to Drano. Older pipes have never had it, though.

@jasonduncan4323 8 ай бұрын

I’ve always been told that it’ll help accelerate cast iron deterioration and sometimes people can use it and it won’t clear the stoppage and some of the grime and acid will sink to the bottom and harden like cement is that true ?

@TheRealSykx 7 ай бұрын

Modern drain cleaners are almost all bases, if you follow the instructions and flush with lots of water it shouldn't give you any problems.

@user-nq8vm2iv9v 6 ай бұрын

Were cast iron pipes always coated or did this start later, like 1980s? Asking for my house built in 1962. Thanks.

@SaltwaterReefer 8 ай бұрын

How about testing concrete, clay, orangeburg, ABS, glued fittings. Venting the containers also. Great video. I do a lot of drain cleaning up in Washington

@SlimThrull 6 ай бұрын

From a chemistry point of view none of these results are surprising except for how well the rubber held up. Drano is mostly Sodium hydroxide. This doesn't tend to attack metals at room temperature. I suspect the cast iron did so poorly not because of the Sodium hydroxide but because if the water in Drano. With the coating gone, the water was free to oxidize the exposed iron. PVC and the poly stuff were design to stand up to chemical attacks (which is exactly what you want in your plumbing). The rubber, however, is kind of surprising. Sodium hydroxide is usually great at tearing apart organic stuff. I'd have assumed that the rubber would be completely gone after six months. The fact that there was any left at all is a surprise. The fact that it kept it's shape and only seemed to suffer minor damage is amazing.

@mikeevans6589 7 ай бұрын

Great job buddy!!!

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

Thanks!!

@meshedgears2794 7 ай бұрын

So first reaction is how many years is this equivalent to, since a better test is to cover the inside with cleaner but follow it up with a water rinse. This test while fun to watch, means nothing, as no one is going to immerse the inside and outside of a pipe in chemicals. It was fun to watch so credit for that.. -MG

@MrVeryCranky 6 ай бұрын

Many years ago I had a blocked toilet in a property I was renting. A whole jar of sodium hydroxide used half at a time cleared the blockage within two days. The hardest part was getting it to the blockage as flushing filled the bowl to the brim and took minutes to seep away initially. I suspect sanitary products were the culprit but it did completely clear the blockage.

@bryanl9445 7 ай бұрын

How.do you not test ABS pipe? Ive replaced drain lines for tubs that had a chemical drain cleaner used beforehand, it just melts and completely distorts the pipe.

@stephenwalsh8931 7 ай бұрын

Should do a molded rubber coupling (fernco). Great video.

@insylem 6 ай бұрын

I have cast iron pipe in my house. I have used drain cleaner in the past, but it's not something I use often. If the water run overtop of the drain cleaner, Is there a way to flush any remaining drain cleaner out?

@DanielGomez-cf6vk 8 ай бұрын

When I was starting as a landlord I mixed 2 chemicals the cleaners busted up and fell on my jeans the jeans melted immediately it was painful but learned from my mistakes it’s not fun

@thugpug4392 8 ай бұрын

why did you mix 2 chemicals? You shouldn't ever mix chemicals unless you're specifically trying to create a third chemical and are fully aware of the process. Mixing chemicals doesn't make a better chemical.

@crazedmonkey5811 8 ай бұрын

Would be interesting to see if the pvc or poly pipe has become brittle due to the exposure. I’ve heard pvc that has been exposed to the sun becomes brittle and cracks when using a ratcheting pipe cutter.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

That's interesting. I'm genuinely curious, when would pvc or poly be sitting outside for long periods of time?

@crazedmonkey5811 8 ай бұрын

@@RogerWakefield I’ve heard of plumbing companies storing their pvc outside and it cracking when they begin to cut it. Up north, we also use pvc for our self draining irrigation systems (although this will never see Drano). My thoughts are if the pvc does become brittle, what would happen if an electric auger were to be used in the future? Would the use of Drano cause the pvc to become brittle and crack with the help of an auger? Love your videos!

@libra6829 7 ай бұрын

@@RogerWakefield storage before use

@maxkarlsson7326 8 ай бұрын

As a plumber seeing what it did to the rubber hose Id be interested to see what it does to rubber washer seals

@biomez 7 ай бұрын

What drain pipes are you using that have rubber washers?

@scottgeitgey488 7 ай бұрын

@@biomeztub shoes, rubber gaskets on disposals, silicone/rubber beveled washers on p traps, many different strainer baskets etc etc.

@JustAnAverageWoman69 7 ай бұрын

This stuff works well when left in the drain overnight. That’s what my father used to do when my hair clogged the drain as a teen. Now, however, with a house of my own, I don't want to take any chances of damaging my pipes. My husband uses a plastic auger thing to get down in the drain and lift out the debris. It's a pretty gross chore, but it works without damaging anything.

@TheRealSykx 7 ай бұрын

15-20 minutes of sitting and flushing with lots of water after is sufficient. An important step this video overlooks is the flushing after use. Drain cleaners are all highly water soluble so flushing with lots of water will remove them from your pipes.

@stevem1081 6 ай бұрын

I found some of the stainless mesh wire strainers and put in the tub drain, it is amazing how much stuff it catches. I have to clean it after every other shower or it clogs up. Yes, a tiny bit of extra work every other day, but just think how much was getting down the drain and possibly causing a clog some day.

@dmb48333 8 ай бұрын

It may not do anything to PVC, but what does it do to the solvent weld joint?

@RRCameraMan 7 ай бұрын

Was that copper pipe DWV? I didn’t hear you mention what type it was and from here it looks like L copper. Thanks for another great video!!

@sirslayer3739 6 ай бұрын

10:49 "garbage disposal 💅💅" 😂😂

@varanidguy 8 ай бұрын

Man , you almost make me want to be a plumber again. I worked for one of the big names years ago and it was terrible, but they didn't operate the company very well.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Guess it's time to look into a new company 😎 not all companies are like that and the pay (depending on your area) is pretty good right now. How long were you a plumber?

@varanidguy 8 ай бұрын

@@RogerWakefield I was a plumber for about two years, so still a baby. It was the Rooter company that promised Rescue, if you catch my drift ;-) there was a lot wrong with them, most of their employees they wanted to only be turd chasers, they only gave the good plumbing calls to the veterans. I was fortunate enough to train with a veteran so I learned how to sweat pipe and solder, and a few other good skills. It's really paid off as a homeowner, but now of days I work in IT.

@kevinturner9401 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the interesting video. I'd curious to see this with clay pipe as well as something like Orangeburg pipe and other outdated pipes.

@RogerWakefield 5 ай бұрын

That would be cool! Getting my hands on that older pipe might be difficult

@jakeone9 7 ай бұрын

Was a lab tech at an aluminum factory, sodium hydroxide is nasty nasty stuff, we had a 20 foot tall tank of the stuff and the running joke was if you fell into the tank you wouldn’t reach the bottom 😮😂

@zitterzitterson6319 6 ай бұрын

Chemist here and I work with it regularly - corrodes my gloves even, and burns my skin when it does. While it will cause burns, the most important thing when working with NaOH or KOH is to have *EYE PROTECTION*. Skin burns will heal within a week or so, as I've experienced many, many times. However, get it in your eyes and it's a completely different story

@MarkParkTech 7 ай бұрын

I was really interested in this because I live in a 100 year old house. Thankfully, all the interior drains are now PVC - but the line from the sewer to the house is cast iron... so yikes. Because as a homeowner, I'm financially responsible for any repairs that occur to that between my house and the main sewer line in the street.

@therichtershow 5 ай бұрын

very interesting experiment

@pb6412 6 ай бұрын

Would Draino Max Gel affect the pipe sealer of PVC or plastic pipes?

@user-vh2pk6bd3g 5 ай бұрын

if you must use drain cleaner be careful, also if the crystal doesn't work don't switch to liquid. Because one product is hydrocloric and the other is sulfuric and if they get mixed you can create a chlorine gas which is deadly.

@toolsaddiction 8 ай бұрын

Hey rodger, quick question about pex b, if you have a fitting crimped a little crooked and maybe 1/4 away from the tip of the pipe instead of 1/8. Would you have a concern it could leak over time. Basically if the crimp is holding now is there a concern over time it would leak. Asking because the fitting is in a very hard to reach spot with the crimper claw.

@repthewestc_9921 8 ай бұрын

I’ve seen them pop off manufacturer says to take it all the way to fitting shoulder so I would be concerned about it possibly leaking in the future if it’s in a hard to reach spot expansion you can move it around where you need it then slap it on the fitting. Or I’ve even seen the cordless crimp tools for tight to reach spots

@repthewestc_9921 8 ай бұрын

And if it’s only a 1/4 I wouldn’t sweat but if it’s crimped with a big gap or even able to see a barb on the fitting I would cut it out for sure

@toolsaddiction 8 ай бұрын

The pipe is all the way in, the ring is 1/4 away from the shoulder of the fitting instead of 1/8 but i can see the ring was crimped a bit crooked. Its been 6 months

@ryanwatson9507 7 ай бұрын

Im interested to see if you add some water to the draino if the moisture will allow the metals to corrode and rust more due to the moisture being pressent like in a drain. Where as just sitting in the chemical issolates it from the air and mositure.

@TheRealSykx 7 ай бұрын

Drano is sodium hydroxide dissolved in water, it's mostly water. Chemistry labs use sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide solutions to super clean glass and metal equipment.

@monteclark1115 7 ай бұрын

I would like to see you test abs pipe because it is used a lot on the West Coast. I would also like to see what it does to the glue.

@sonyxperiathree4554 7 ай бұрын

Fenco couplings and fitting are made of rubber, those could be effected by the lye in these caustic drain cleaners. Also rubber couplings are used on hubless cast iron pipes as it is code to use as drainage systems in certain areas like NYC.

@Ken-fh4jc 5 ай бұрын

Most drain cleaners contain sodium hydroxide (lye) or potassium hydroxide. They are really good at dissolving things like hair or even grease. That’s why you need to be EXTREMELY careful it can blind you.

@djscrizzle 5 ай бұрын

A lot of cast iron pipe has a coating on it, bituminous in nature. As you hinted on, for corrosion resistance.

@ghw1985 6 ай бұрын

I'm curious what woud happen with fittings attached, i would imagine abs glue would be broken down or burn from the fittings

@Kisai_Yuki 5 ай бұрын

Hmm, that's actually very interesting. I kinda knew what to expect from the plastic/pvc pipes cause that's all I've ever seen since the 80's, but it's very interesting to know there is at least one kind of pipe that it's terrible on. My last apartment I had to use drano twice a year because despite any kind of hair-catching thing on the drain, it would still clog up, and the last time I used it, the actual stainless steel drain ring rusted around the edge. So my guess is that eventually the drano does eat through thinner metals that make up the drain finishing given enough time.

@gamergame5318 7 ай бұрын

What if u add hot water to it . Or would it hurt the glue if u know what I mean

@bradleywestpheling4491 6 ай бұрын

I know a homeowner who used drain cleaner religiously until the iron drain pipes underneath their basement slab rotted away and had to be replaced. If you use any drain cleaner, it would be a good idea to run enough water through the drain to wash it out to the street. Personally, I don't use the stuff.

@salatino 8 ай бұрын

Pure Lye is the way to go. Would love to see you do a video like this one for that.

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Coming soon!

@infamous11590 8 ай бұрын

There’s an asphalted coating on cast iron that’s what you see breaking down. As far as cause cast iron to break down it’s actually the liquid that keeps traveling down the same path over and over again causing channels in the cast iron pipe and breaking the cast iron pipe down. I don’t believe that sitting liquid (unless it’s acid) is going to cause breakdown cast iron. This is just what I’ve been told.

@HangryPandaMike 8 ай бұрын

great breakdown. any product you do recommend?

@RogerWakefield 8 ай бұрын

Any of these tools kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m65yjZWHy7bRp58.html

@jmackinjersey1 7 ай бұрын

As far as the coating on the cast iron pipe, this draino removed the costing and allowed corrosion in 6 months compared to 20 years in the elements.

@NathanaelNewton 6 ай бұрын

You might think that cast iron drains are only used in old buildings but as a construction laborer in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, I've been on many new construction sites, especially the more upscale (nicer, expensive) multi-unit dwellings that use cast iron drains because it's 'quieter' Also, one of the main ingredients in dishwasher soap is sodium hydroxide, the same thing that's in a lot of drain cleaners..

@RogerWakefield 6 ай бұрын

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. Do you install a lot of cast iron yourself?

@NathanaelNewton 6 ай бұрын

@@RogerWakefield No, I was a temp worker doing day jobs, mostly site cleanup, picking up garbage, sweeping and carrying things. I was surprised to see cast iron on a site a couple years ago and asked the boss why it was being used and he said that it's quieter than plastic options.

@lisapiel-jackson5863 Ай бұрын

Have you tested clay pipes? The line running from my house to the street is clay and I’m curious about the damage that could be caused.

@RogerWakefield Ай бұрын

I have not tested clay pipes....that is on my list...might be hard to find some

@alucarder 7 ай бұрын

Great video

@RogerWakefield 7 ай бұрын

I appreciate it

@user-otzlixr 6 ай бұрын

First off, I would recommend this video just for people to hear the hosts pronunciation of the word “pipe”. I haven’t been so entertained over pronunciation since I watched my last nascar race to hear the word “ten”.

@quintrapnell3605 6 ай бұрын

Cool test. If anyone needs drano often enough to do damage then you need more than a plumber.

@Zadamanim 7 ай бұрын

It might not break down the plastic pipes but it might break down the glue that holds those pipes together and introduce leaks, right?

@DaarthPingas 6 ай бұрын

what im wondering is how much damage could it do in 10 minutes of sitting? i only try to use drain cleaner maybe once a year or less as needed, but only if: baking soda and vinegar, boiling water, and a plunger have already failed. i guess that thicker gel might be slightly worse because it stays longer sometimes?

@malpractice118 6 ай бұрын

You'll be fine. This video is completely click bait. He's acting like drain-o is some super powered caustic chemical. He literally submerged all the pipes for months and they all came up mostly intact.

@trentmorrison6074 5 ай бұрын

I didnt think of these cleaner as ridding coating for metal pipes. I would more so see em as either oxidizing the pipes to death or eating out the pvc pipes away. Scary stuff. Hope I make it to the aprentiship this march. Wish me luck.