I have been in the Plumbing and Drain cleaning business for much of the last 30 years! I decided to Google the following:

Why do plumbers say not to use Drano when the directions say it won’t harm pipes?

The first thing that I read was this: “If you do use Drano (R), and if it cleans to your pipes, then the plumber will miss out on a lucrative house call. That alone is enough reason for any plumber to caution you against the product.” (Pissed me off!) 

I am going to state emphatically this. If you use these products in your home YOU are an uneducated consumer who allows advertisers to seduce you into doing something STUPID! 

I have seen more people spend thousands of dollars replacing plumbing because they introduced acid based products into their drain systems. I can tell you first hand that when you introduce these chemicals into your systems, you do four things to hurt your plumbing that are not mentioned via the advertisers. Honestly, most people instantly think to purchase a drain cleaning product. I have stood in Home Depot or Lowes watching people looking to purchase a drain opening product. I have to mentally stop myself from cautioning them as they read the labels looking for the best one. None of them are the best one!!!!! I always say this, ‘If you put this into your drains picture pouring it down a child’s throat because, you are essentially doing this to your home!’

1. You have a product now in your drains that has to be deactivated (Baking Soda will do the trick)
2. You have introduced an acid based product into your drains that will corrode your galvanized pipes, on steroids!
3. You have introduced an acid based product into your drains system that is killing the bacteria that you want in your drains or septic tank.
4. You are destroying your glue connections in drain piping and causing the ABS or PVC piping to become brittle……

Your acid based product is now moving through the sewer systems and throughout your community or leaching into your drain field

Sort of like smoking a cigarette, you can buy them and they will kill you!….Same principal here, Have a nce day!