The Pros and Cons of Different Drain Cleaning Methods

There are a number of different techniques used to help keep a drain and sewer system clean, each of which has different pros and cons. It’s up to your plumber which methods to use for your individual situation. Still, it’s not a bad idea to familiarize yourself with these methods, and why they’re so helpful for keeping your drains running smoothly.

A drain snake is a long cord with an auger or claw on the end of it. The cord is inserted into the drain until it meets a clog, at which point the snake is used to either drill through it or grab it and pull it out of the pipe. Drain snakes can be motorized, or turned by a hand crank. Drain snaking has been the standard method of drain cleaning for many years, mainly due to its ease of use. Drain snaking is typically all that is required to clear a clogged drain and get it to resume normal operation. However, it does have a couple of drawbacks.

The biggest issue with drain snaking is that it’s not quite as thorough as the other method we’re going to discuss. Drain snaking can get rid of a clog that has already formed, sure. However, it typically doesn’t remove all waste from the pipe. There might still be some residual waste and other harmful material left on the pipe walls after snaking them, making it easier for a clog to form again in the future. If you want to have a more thorough drain cleaning, or there’s a clog that isn’t responding well to drain snaking, it might be a good idea to use hydro jetting.

Hydro jetting involves using a hose to spray a high-pressure stream of water down the clogged pipe. The hose has a special sprayer head on the end of it, allowing the water jet to reach all areas of the drain pipe. Hydro jetting has become quite popular with plumbers in recent years, mainly because of how thorough it is. Not only is it a great method for clearing out clogs that have already completed, but it can clean out waste buildup that you didn’t even know was present. This makes it harder for clogs to form down the line. Hydro jetting is great for most drain cleaning needs, but they aren’t ideal for every situation. Some pipes are not able to withstand the pressure that hydro jetting puts them under, which is usually when drain snaking is used instead.

Lutz Plumbing, Inc. provides a full range of drain cleaning services in Independence, MO. If you need drain cleaning services, contact us today to schedule an appointment. We’ll make sure that you get the most out of your drains.