Hydro Jetting vs. Snaking: Two Heavyweight Drain Cleaning Options
Have you been having these issues with recurring drain clogs in your home?
- If you’ve been finding that water is backing up out of your drains
- Your drains “gurgle” and take longer than usual to empty
- Bubbles start backing up into a secondary drain when one empties
If so then there’s a clog somewhere in your plumbing system which is causing the issue.
There are two common plumbing techniques which are used to remove stubborn clogs: a snaking, which involves using a plumber's snake, and hydro jetting. In this post, we’ll explain the differences between the two, and which is the right choice for you and your home:
What’s the Difference Between Hydro Jetting and Snaking?
A thorough cleaning of your home’s main sewer line is a necessary task which can keep your pipes flowing properly all year long.
One way to eliminate tree roots, grime, and buildup is to use a plumber’s snake. Snaking involves inserting an auger, which looks like a long steel cable with a corkscrew attachment on end, into your main sewer line. Once the snake is inserted, the coil at the end will break apart any clogs and obstructions blocking the pipe.
Hydro jetting, on the other hand, involves using a hose and a specialized nozzle which can spray water at up to 4,000 psi into your pipes. The intense pressure caused by the water will scrape away hardened, caked-on grime, and can easily break apart any tree roots which may be present in your main sewer line.
When Should You Use the Snaking Method?
If you have older pipes in your home, then snaking is the safest option for clog removal, because using hydro jetting may damage your pipes and lead to further complications.
Hydro jetting can be damaging to your old pipes because the high water pressure which is required for the hydro jetting process can cause harm to old and compromised pipes, whereas snaking with an auger won’t put pressure on your pipes. Snaking gently breaks up debris and isn’t as harsh on your pipes as the firm flow of water used in the hydro jetting process, which means that you don’t have to worry about compromising your old pipes as you clean them.
Snaking is also a great short-term solution for a budget-conscious homeowner; since a qualified plumbing expert should only perform hydro jetting, using a plumber’s snake is often a cheaper solution.
Why Should Hydro Jetting be Left to Professionals?
Hydro jetting uses specialized, professional plumbing tools, and should only be performed by a qualified plumbing expert.
Attempting to carry out a hydro-jetting cleaning service on your plumbing system was firmly discouraged because without the appropriate training, then you may wind up damaging your pipes with the powerful spray of water, making your plumbing issues worse.
Contact C&D Plumbing Inc. at (954) 758-8169 in Fort Lauderdale, FL and get reliable plumbing service to keep your pipes flowing and your mind at ease.