When Hydro Jetting Is Better Than Traditional Drain Snaking

Spending the day at Turkey Creek Nature Trail is always a great experience, but coming home to common drain issues like backups, recurring clogs, or slow drains can easily turn a nice afternoon into a stressful one. If you’re facing a plumbing backup, there are two main solutions to the problem: traditional drain snaking and hydro jetting. The team of experts at Tru Plumbing and Gas has some helpful information to guide you and help you determine whether the hydro jetting vs drain snaking method is the right one for your home.

What Is Drain Snaking?

Drain snaking uses a manual or mechanical auger that works to break through stubborn clogs. This popular method is best for minor clogs from things like hair or other small debris. While it does work well in certain situations, drain snaking has its limitations. This method doesn’t fully clean the pipe walls, and it’s usually only a temporary fix that does not permanently address recurring issues.

What Is Hydro Jetting?

Hydro jetting is a professional drain clearing service that uses jets of water at an extremely high pressure blasted directly inside your pipes. This option is usually safe for most plumbing when it’s done professionally. Hydro jetting does a great job of removing stubborn clogs, like grease buildup, sludge, and mineral deposits. It can also remove tree roots that have infiltrated your sewer line or other underground pipes in some cases.

Key Differences Between Hydro Jetting and Snaking

As you ponder which option is best, there are some key differences between these two methods you need to know about:

Cleaning power: Drain snaking clears most smaller clogs from things like hair and soap scum, but hydro jetting is a much deeper cleaning solution that scours the full circumference of your pipes and sewer lines for impressive cleaning power.
Longevity of results: Using a drain snake can temporarily clean your drains in a hurry, but hydro jetting offers a much longer-lasting solution for peace of mind while helping to prevent future clogs.
Types of clogs handled: If you’re facing a simple clog in a toilet or one sink, drain snaking works just fine, while hydro jetting handles massive, heavy-duty clogs that you can’t see or reach using traditional methods.
Cost vs value: You may be able to snake a clog yourself to save money, but you’ll get much more value out of hydro jetting, especially if you’re having to call a plumber repeatedly to address recurring plumbing issues.
Pipe condition considerations: Since hydro jetting is non-invasive, it’s much safer for older, delicate pipes to prevent costly damage and replacements, while drain snaking can damage old or fragile pipes if you’re not careful.

When Hydro Jetting Is the Better Choice

As you weigh the pros and cons of each of these drain clearing services, it’s important to understand when hydro jetting could be the ideal option based on your unique situation. Here’s when choosing hydro jetting for clogged drains is the better choice for your home.

Recurring or stubborn clogs

Snaking a clogged drain only “punches a hole” through the clog to get the water flowing again. As a result, the clog usually returns over time as debris starts to build back up again. When it comes to dealing with recurring or stubborn clogs that keep coming back, hydro jetting works best to get rid of the issue once and for all.

Grease & sludge buildup

Grease and sludge can easily build up in your kitchen drain. This unpleasant blockage is quite common in both residential kitchens and commercial settings, like restaurants. If you really want to tackle these colossal blockages for good, hydro jetting is certainly the better choice.

Slow drains throughout the home

When your sinks and other fixtures are slow to drain, it’s not only frustrating, but it’s also unhealthy. In most cases, slow drains throughout your home indicate the presence of serious buildup along the pipe walls. Hydro jetting addresses this issue fast, restoring water flow and peace of mind.

Tree root intrusions

When trees or shrubs are planted too close to your sewer line, the roots may eventually enter through small cracks, resulting in tree root intrusion. Drain snaking can’t handle serious tree root intrusions, but jetting does an amazing job of cleaning and clearing not just the roots, but also any remaining debris for squeaky clean pipes.

Preventative maintenance

Routine preventative maintenance is vital to protect your plumbing and your home. When it comes to long-term pipe health, hydro jetting is a great option. This method is ideal if you want to maintain healthy, clear pipes for a long time to come, so you can rest easy knowing everything is clear.

When Drain Snaking May Be Enough

Unclogging drains through drain snaking can still work for certain situations. It does a good job of taking care of minor, isolated clogs that are only found in one drain or fixture in the home. In terms of budget, drain snaking is a quick, low-cost fix that many homeowners can do themselves. Drain snaking may be enough for minor problems, even if you have older or fragile pipes, pending a professional inspection.

Is Hydro Jetting Safe for Your Pipes?

Because hydro jetting is a quite powerful drain cleaning method, you might wonder whether it’s safe for your pipes. We recommend scheduling a professional camera inspection beforehand to look for signs of damage, and to ensure that the process won’t harm fragile or cracked pipes. This service requires professional handling by a licensed plumber, so you know you’re in good hands. On the other hand, hydro jetting is not recommended for severely damaged pipes, as it could make the problem worse and end up requiring a costly pipe replacement.

Cost Comparison: Hydro Jetting vs Snaking

When you compare the cost and the investment of hydro jetting versus drain snaking, there are a few important things to consider. First, snaking is a good option if you need a solution with a lower upfront cost, although it’s usually only a short-term fix. Hydro jetting has a higher upfront cost, but it’s also a much longer-lasting solution and a smart investment to protect your plumbing system. It really comes down to the overall value of both options and determining whether you can afford to get a quick fix that may cost you more money in the long run.

Professional Recommendation: How Plumbers Decide

If you’re not sure how to proceed after facing a serious blockage, experienced plumbers can help. This is how professional plumbers decide which option to recommend:

Type of clog: The plumber will assess the type of clog you face to help determine whether drain snaking or hydro jetting is best, and they may use high-definition cameras to locate, inspect, and assess the clog to make an accurate determination.
Pipe condition: Plumbers examine the condition of your pipes, which helps them make a recommendation that not only handles the clog, but also protects your pipes, especially if they’re old or in poor shape.
Frequency of issues: If you tell a plumber that your drain issues keep recurring, they’ll most likely recommend hydro jetting, since it’s the best solution to get to the heart of the matter and stop the clogs from coming back over and over again.

When deciding how to deal with a stubborn clog or a frustrating blockage, we recommend scheduling an expert evaluation performed by our licensed, experienced plumbers. This is the best way to confirm not only which method is the better choice, but also to protect your pipes and plumbing for the long term.

Contact Tru Plumbing and Gas Today!

Drain snaking is a quick fix for clogs, while hydro jetting is a deep, long-term solution that stands the test of time. The team at Tru Plumbing and Gas provides a range of plumbing services, including drain inspections and hydro jetting services. If you’re facing recurring clogs in your home and would like to schedule service, contact us today!

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