Archive through December 27, 2001

The ClubHouse: Archives: I have a dumb question: Archive through December 27, 2001

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 02:01 pm Click here to edit this post
Thanks for all of your responses. I couldn't pull anything out of that drain--it's like friggin' Jimma Hoffa's vault down there (sorry extremely irritated). I bought a plunger--I should have one anyway, and have been plugging away with it, with minimal effect. I just poured some maximum strength Plumr down there and am waiting for results. We'll see what comes next.

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:01 pm Click here to edit this post
Slowly but surely the clog is breaking up. I poured some bleach down there too--after most of the water was already down. It's working better now, but will try the baking soda and vinegar combination also after flushing pipes with hot water. I have a feeling that the pipes are metal and are corroding nicely on their own; I had the kitchen pipes replaced three months ago with plastic. Thanks again for the tips!!!

Weinermr

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:22 pm Click here to edit this post
Congrats Oregonfire!

Grooch

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:31 pm Click here to edit this post
Oregonfire, be careful mixing chemicals. Ammonia and bleach makes mustard gas and it can kill you. You already put Liquid Plumber and bleach down there and now you want to add the baking soda and vinegar (which Weiner said could be a dangerous combo in itself.)

Glad to hear it is breaking up. Years ago, at my mother's house. The pipes were so old and they were metal that the line outside was rusting away and the tree roots had grown into them.

Weinermr

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:38 pm Click here to edit this post
Yes I second the motion. Be sure that every trace of one thing is rinsed down and out of the drain before you try adding anything else, or the reaction or the fumes can overcome you and yield VERY BAD results.

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:44 pm Click here to edit this post
I tried that ammonia and bleach thing in college; luckily, none of my roommates were home at the time, because the house filled with noxious smoke. I'm being careful to flush hot water through before each new dose of unclog formula. The vinegar and baking soda are already in there, but don't worry, this is the last of the formulas, I promise!!

Lancecrossfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:54 pm Click here to edit this post
Actually adding bleach to certain chemicals produces chlorine gas. (bleach is a 5% sodium hypochlorite solution in water). While not the same as mustard gas, it is very toxic (and corrosive to mucuse membranes). It is corrosive to skin in the presence of moisture (HCl(gas)+water = hydrochloric acid).

Mixing baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), a base, with vinegar (a 4-10 percent acetic acid solution in water), an acid. Upon mixing you get water, sodium acetate (an organic salt) and carbon dioxide (a gas). (you will notice a lot of bubbles if you do this in a clear container.

It is the carbon dioxide that provides for the potential problem. It you havea closed system, the carbon dioxide will increase the pressure within the system. if you have a weak closed system, it will rupture. If you have a system with an opening pointed downward and it is light enough, it will launch into the air. If you do it with the opening facing upward, the carbon dioxide will rise into the atmosphere (think of alks-seltzer)

The bubbles are quite vigorous, and help to move things around. This is what helps to unclog a drain.

Kep421

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 03:55 pm Click here to edit this post
Are you home alone Oregon? Should we have you check in every 20 minutes???

Weinermr

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 04:00 pm Click here to edit this post
If we hear an explosion in the Northwest, it may not be Mt. St. Helens erupting again.

Take care Oregonfire!!

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 04:19 pm Click here to edit this post
All quiet on the Western front. :)

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 04:56 pm Click here to edit this post
Whew.

Grooch

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 05:13 pm Click here to edit this post
So Lance, is it ok for OG to mix the baking soda with the vinegar?

Weinermr

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 05:20 pm Click here to edit this post
I know you didn't ask me, (that never stopped me before) but it's a very dangerous thing to do Grooch. Depending on the condition of the pipes and the plumbing system, carbon dioxide gases could get trapped and explode, either breaking the pipes, or exploding in Oregonfire's face.

Despite the fact that it may help - considering the probable condition of Oregonfire's plumbing system - I highly recommend not doing it.

JMHO

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 05:38 pm Click here to edit this post
I'll answer for Lance too. I'd highly recommend against it. If you want to see why, put just a little bit of vinegar and baking soda together in a glass and see what happens.

Meme9

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 05:41 pm Click here to edit this post
This sounds like a chemisty class!

Or "Mad Scientist's at Work"
Caution Entering Maybe Dangerous To Your Health

Lance, I'm impressed, it sounds like you know what your talking about. See those chemisty classes came in handy didn't they. LOL

Lancecrossfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 05:49 pm Click here to edit this post
Weinermr is correct about the concerns. I wouldn't say trapped is a big concern if there is only a partial clog, as the CO2 will escape if there is a route. It can indeed come back up quickly, and if a person is over the top of it, you will get a blast of CO2 plus whatever else it brings up.

The biggest issue is a week portion of the pipe. It won't blow open, although cracks can occur. That maens water leaks, which aren't good.

It sounds like Oregon alredy put this mixture down the drain. For reference, baking soda is not needed if a product like lquid plummer is used. Liquid plumber is a strong base, and will neutralize the vinegar to sodium acetate and CO2--but less CO2 than the other reaction. Also, the stronger tha acid or base you have the more heat you will get during the reaction. (not an issue with good plumbing)

Over all, I think the liquid drain cleaners are a bit more affective for a greater variety of clogs, and are typically safer for the pipes.

If Oregon didn't kill herself with the chlorine cloud, I think she will be just fine.

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 06:45 pm Click here to edit this post
You guys are funny--I'm not dead! The varying formulas didn't seem to interact, but there was some major sizzling with that baking soda/vinegar mixture. That clog was/is pretty major, and I'm not convinced that it's up by the drain, but may be farther down the pipe. I took a bath, and the water drained just fine until about two inches of water was left in the tub. I gave it a few shots with the plunger, and the rest finally, slowly went down. This leads me to believe that the clog is much farther down the pipe, as the water drained just fine until that two-inch mark. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures in the bathroom.

Evilnurse

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 07:28 pm Click here to edit this post
Organfire I think what you need is one of those snake things. I had a clog in my kitchen sink and tried all the things you have. I went to Homedepot
and rented one of those snake things, it cost about 15 bucks, but the clog was gone.
I suggest that you have help, not a professional, but someone who can feed the snake while the other one cranks it.

As someone who has numerous leaking/running toilets'/clog problems I hope you find your plumbing problems gone soon.

Wink

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 07:31 pm Click here to edit this post
Oregon said: >>>I took a bath, and the water drained just fine until about two inches of water was left in the tub.<<<<<

There's your answer Oregon. Just put two inches less water in the tub next time.

Meme9

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 07:40 pm Click here to edit this post
LOL I think Wink is on to something, yep 2 inches less problem solved. I'm still laughing!!!!

Weinermr

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 09:27 pm Click here to edit this post
Wink - That's hilarious!! I'm still laughing!

(But seriously Oregonfire, try it out, or start bailing at the two inch mark)

Lance - You take the chemistry problems, I'll take the physics problems, and we'll have everything covered.

Oregonfire

Wednesday, December 26, 2001 - 10:13 pm Click here to edit this post
I did think of the two-inch thing, but I'm pampered and like a full bath. I'm going to keep hacking away at that clog (and perhaps rent a snake to swallow up that cloggy mouse) because no way no HOW is some nasty clog messin' with my bath!

Weinermr

Thursday, December 27, 2001 - 10:48 am Click here to edit this post
Oregonfire - How's the tub doing today? Yesterday must have been a real drain on you. Is the water running better now? How is it going?

Oregonfire

Thursday, December 27, 2001 - 11:09 am Click here to edit this post
Slow and steady as she goes. There is definitely still a problem, so I'm going to request along with my next rent check that the landlord take a look at it, or at least run a snake through there. I gave them three months to replace my broken stove without requesting a rent reduction, so they owe me one big time. They own a row of rental houses and need to be prodded to do these sorts of things. My past landlords always fixed things promptly.

Pcakes2

Thursday, December 27, 2001 - 11:13 am Click here to edit this post
application/mswordtub.doc
tub.doc (45 k)