When it comes to keeping your drains unclogged and your pipes clean, there are several options to choose from. Plumbers often use one of two solutions for clogs and pipe cleaning: plumbing snakes or hydro jetting. While plumbing snakes, or plumbing augers, are a more classic approach, hydro jetting offers an innovative solution for most pipe problems.
So what’s best for your situation? That depends on the problem! When a plunger just doesn’t cut it, you need something with a little more force to clear out a clog. That is when hydro jetting and snaking come into play. Each technique is useful for different types of clogs, so you want to make sure you have a qualified plumber handling your drain clog!
When Snaking Is Beneficial
Snaking a clogged drain is done with an auger, which looks like a long steel cable with a coil at the end of it. A plumber will insert the cable into the sewer line, using the coil at the end to break through any obstructions. This will clear up the gunk in your pipes and remove any clogs.
What are the main perks of this option?
- Tried and true method – You know it works and does a solid job on most clogs because plumbers have been using it for decades.
- Easy on the pipes – It is an disruptive procedure for your pipes (but not the clogs), meaning if you have fragile pipes, this is a great option.
- Tackles minor clogs easily – When there is just a minor clog to tackle, snaking can easily get the job done and give you back your drain.
- Exposes plumbing dangers – Since a snake uses pressure to break through clogs, it can alert you to issues like tree roots in your pipes.
The bottom line is that cabling a pipeline with an auger is a proven method that can eliminate most basic clogs. However, there are downsides to this method as well. In most cases, snaking is just a temporary solution to pipe buildups, which means more clogs in the future. If you really want to eliminate the risk of clogs, you may want to go with a more powerful, innovative option.
After the inspection, all the plumber has to do is find the ideal spot to insert a hose and begin pumping the water. Since the hose is highly durable, it will be able to shoot about 20 gallons of water a minute or 5,000 psi. This high water pressure will force the material blocking the pipes to flow down the sewer system. Regardless of whether the pipe has grease or mineral build-up, hydro jetting will take care of it.
Other alternatives include using tools like plungers and plumbing snakes, which are not as safe as hydro jetting. These tools don’t prevent blockages in the future but only temporarily release clogs. They push the waste deeper into the plumbing lines, making the issue even worse. 
