baking soda, vinegar, and hot water

Our PM is going to go unit by unit to use baking soad, vinegar, and hot water to service drains. We agreed for this to be an Association expense as it is less expensive to maintain than to repair.

It seems like I have either read or heard somewhere, that this drain cleaning method (baking soda, vinegar, and hot water) could cause problems.

Does anyone have knowledger and/or experience about the baking soda, vinegar, and hot water method of servicie drains?

Please remember I am not asking for advise on who pays we have already discussed this and determined the Association will pay the cost.

Although it creates nice foaming action, it doesn't contain any chemicals to actually clean the lines. Its good for "stuck" drains, but not for cleaning lines. I'm still a huge fan of draino crystals (teaspoon every other month) for things with ptraps such as a sink, tub, etc. And I use draino gel once a year to keep the lines clean.

Baking soda treatment seems like a waste of time to me. Maybe its just an excuse to inspect the units and the plumbing.

I just have to ask.......

How many units do you have???
How many drains per unit?? Bathroom,kitchen, etc.
Do you have frequent drain issues??
Under your documents does the property cover drains lines from individual units before they hook into the main?

How does the PM plan to gain access to each unit???

And most important, what will this "service" be costing your property??

One should NOT, repeat NOT, pour boiling water into any sanitary drain.

PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION

all codes specify 180* MAXIMUM

in addition to expansion / contraction issues:

PVC is rated 140* MAXIMUM

? WHY NOT USE "SNAKE OIL" INSTEAD ?

I am a retired plumber with 40+ years of experience!

ps. 'snake oil' was a placebo once used to cure all ailments by travelling salesmen - it became a 'catch phrase' for useless hi-profit products.

Say, John26, does the boiling water problem have the same effect on cast iron pipes?

Another question for you, John26 on this topic. Our PM place an item in our HOA newsletter with headline "Drano is a No-No!" Must crystal cleaners NEVER be used? What about liquid ones?

We are a high rise HOA so clogged drains are a big problem when they occur.

you will run cold water into the sink while you dump the 210* water from the potatoes, pasta, etc like you always did before WITHOUT thinking about it

TEMPERED water will actually go into the drain

re: cast iron piping

the expansion and contraction from 210* water is NOT a good thing

re: any piping

rubber gaskets, plastic washers on slip joints etc etc

Draino = LYE

Liquid Plumber = SULFURIC ACID

IF, repeat IF, they unclog the stoppage and can be IMMEDIATELY flushed away ...... !

If they do not clear the stoppage they sit in and corrode the piping and present a MAJOR hazard for the poor sucker who must clear the stoppage MANUALLY with either a snake or a plunger

you "COULD" mix the two together if you REALLY REALLY WANT TO BE SEVERELY INJURED by the resulting "explosion"

NO CHEMICALS
NO BOILING WATER

If 100% dishwashing liquid does not clear the stoppage OVERNIGHT, no harm done by trying, either to the piping, yourself, or the plumber

We have one building with three floors. The first floor consists of two units, the laundry room, the exercise room, community room, and the garage. The second and third floor consists of the hallways and individual units.

Bonnie

Is the reoccurring blockage at the source (sink, toilet, tub, etc.) or further along in the pipes and just backing up into the sinks?

Most solutions are designed to unplug a plug, not clean a pipe. You might be needing a professional pipe cleaning/rootering, not some homemade or any solution flush.