How do you clean your water pipes?

Water pipe maintenance should be part of your regular home maintenance. If ignored, damaged water pipes can cost you a huge amount of money. Since clogging, rusting and mineral deposits occur through time, you have to keep your system clean to prevent these problems from happening. Cincinnati plumbers recommend the use of different chemicals and commercial cleaners to maintain the plumbing system. Here are a few that you can use.

 

Muriatic Acid

Muriatic acid is an excellent scale and mineral deposit remover. Also known as hydrochloric acid, you can purchase it in groceries and most hardware stores. It is safe to use even for copper pipes. Use a pump to pour the chemical in the pipe and allow the materials to soak for 60 seconds. Afterwards, you can run flowing water to rinse it off. Cincinnati plumbers recommend that you use gloves and goggles while handling the chemical since accidental spills and splashing can occur.

 

Water Softener

If you live in an area where hard water is in use, you might have noticed the white scale deposits in your water pipes. These deposits are calcium, lime and other minerals. If they stay longer in the pipes, they cause clogging and eventually  damage the system. To avoid the problem, Cincinnati plumbers will advise you to install a water softener. The system contains a filter that will trap the potassium and salt minerals. Although it does not remove the residues completely, the reduction in the deposits is enough to keep your pipes scale-free for a long time.

 

Commercial Cleaners

For hard to remove stains and mineral deposits, Cincinnati plumbers recommend the use of commercial cleaners. You can buy the products in many stores. Just pour the chemical in the main water supply and you get a cleaner pipe. Because some are too corrosive, some may require dilution with water before using them. Otherwise, they may eat up your pipes and cause leaks.