Oops, just poured Hydochloric Acid down the drain. What now? | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 72016321 Finland 07/31/2016 09:14 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 71563015 Singapore 07/31/2016 09:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 72679603 United Kingdom 07/31/2016 09:16 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I live in an apartment, and our maintenance guy's a real dick. Our tub clogs up a lot even though we use the hair catcher, probably just because this is such an old building. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 70585272 Anyway, it's clogged again, and I picked up a cheap Drano knockoff at the dollar store and poured it down the drain. It was only after looking over the container that I realized that this knockoff is based on Hydrochloric Acid rather than Sodium Hydroxide. So uh what do I do now? The drain is still clogged, though I've basically filled the tub with cold water, which will drain through slowly. Is there any worry about the effect of the HCL on the pipes? I'm going to call the maintenance guy and let him know about it, because I still need him to come and fix the drain. I'm worried that if he opens the trap, he's going to have acid coming at him. I also don't want him to pour something Sodium Hydroxide-bsaed, down the drain if Hydrochloric is still in there. How much water do I need to flush through before I can reasonably assume that the Hydrochloric Acid is all flushed through? It'll strip the rust off the pipes that is about it, the pipes won't get eaten away used to pour that down the works urinals on night shift because it like totally stank of Mexican piss. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 72685759 United States 07/31/2016 09:23 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I live in an apartment, and our maintenance guy's a real dick. Our tub clogs up a lot even though we use the hair catcher, probably just because this is such an old building. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 70585272 Anyway, it's clogged again, and I picked up a cheap Drano knockoff at the dollar store and poured it down the drain. It was only after looking over the container that I realized that this knockoff is based on Hydrochloric Acid rather than Sodium Hydroxide. So uh what do I do now? The drain is still clogged, though I've basically filled the tub with cold water, which will drain through slowly. Is there any worry about the effect of the HCL on the pipes? I'm going to call the maintenance guy and let him know about it, because I still need him to come and fix the drain. I'm worried that if he opens the trap, he's going to have acid coming at him. I also don't want him to pour something Sodium Hydroxide-bsaed, down the drain if Hydrochloric is still in there. How much water do I need to flush through before I can reasonably assume that the Hydrochloric Acid is all flushed through? It'll strip the rust off the pipes that is about it, the pipes won't get eaten away used to pour that down the works urinals on night shift because it like totally stank of Mexican piss. Correct. At this point, Hydrochloric is probably a good move. Most bathtub clogs involve a significant quantity of fats (bath oils, etc.). Putting Sodium Hydroxide down the drain allows it to react with the fats and voila! your drain is now clogged with soap. The acid has a fair chance of dissolving the soap by heating any reactive minerals in it. |
NowIhavetothinkofaname User ID: 72695721 Australia 07/31/2016 09:28 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I live in an apartment, and our maintenance guy's a real dick. Our tub clogs up a lot even though we use the hair catcher, probably just because this is such an old building. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 70585272 Anyway, it's clogged again, and I picked up a cheap Drano knockoff at the dollar store and poured it down the drain. It was only after looking over the container that I realized that this knockoff is based on Hydrochloric Acid rather than Sodium Hydroxide. So uh what do I do now? The drain is still clogged, though I've basically filled the tub with cold water, which will drain through slowly. Is there any worry about the effect of the HCL on the pipes? I'm going to call the maintenance guy and let him know about it, because I still need him to come and fix the drain. I'm worried that if he opens the trap, he's going to have acid coming at him. I also don't want him to pour something Sodium Hydroxide-bsaed, down the drain if Hydrochloric is still in there. How much water do I need to flush through before I can reasonably assume that the Hydrochloric Acid is all flushed through? The difference between HCL and NAOH is Sodium Hydroxide is a basic solution. One that is just as capable of burning your maintenance guy through caustic burns as opposed to acid burns. Both substances should burn through the blockage although through opposite chemical reactions in that Hydrochloric acid oxidizes and Caustic Soda reduces the material blocked in the drain leading to dissolved blockage material. If you pour NAOH (Sodium Hydroxide) down the drain the reaction will result in water H2O and a salt which I'm pretty sure is NACL. This will result in neither substance removing the blockage. You should always have a plunger whenever you have a water drain as you can usually dislodge the blockage with hydraulic pressure caused by the motion of the plunger. Edit; the acid was probably the right choice! Last Edited by NowIhavetothinkofaname on 07/31/2016 09:31 AM NowIhavetothinkofanameohnoithurts It's all bull! Nevertheless, the ruler is not truly wise who cannot discern evils before they develop themselves, and this is a faculty given to few. Niccolo Machiavelli Karma is funny, people who kick dogs usually get bitten. If someone doesn't add value to your life, then that someone shouldn't be a part of it. You can always trust people to do whatever is in their own interests. It is certain wastelands will be brought under cultivation. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 70660296 United States 07/31/2016 09:35 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 72698191 Germany 07/31/2016 09:38 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |