Express Plumbing Heating & Air Blog
Clogged drains are a nuisance for everyone. There are many opinions out there about the best way to deal with a clogged drain. The most common methods are plumbing snakes and hydro jetting. Let’s look over the differences so when the occasion arises, you can make the best choice for your situation.
Hydro jetting is the use of high-pressure water to eliminate blockages. This is done with a flexible cable with a small head the dispenses hot water at a high PSI rate. This virtually obliterates clogs while scouring the inside of your pipes to remove additional buildup.
Plumbing snakes, or augers, have a hand crank attached to a metal tube containing a corkscrew auger or blades. The way it works is the cable is fed into the drain. Once you have reached the clog, you continue to turn the crank until you push through the clog and can pull it out.
For minor clogs such as hair and soap scum, or if something like a toy gets flushed down the drain, a plumbing snake should do the trick. However, if it cannot break through the clog, you may have a more serious clog, possibly caused by invasive tree roots. Hydro jetting can clear most clogs, but you will need to hire a professional to do it. Not only is the equipment large and expensive, but jetting can also cause damage to already weak or damaged pipes.
