The Process of Drain Cleaning, Beginning to End

Even though reactive drain cleaning appointments are indeed common, there are also plenty of problems that require drain cleaning which aren’t discovered until a pipe inspection. Video pipe inspection is meant to give your plumber a good idea of the state of your drains, and whether or not any specific repairs need to be conducted. This is often done by using a camera, which travels down the line and transmits detailed imaged back to the plumber controlling it. Once the problem is identified as needing drain cleaning (typically waste buildup or lime scale) the actual process of drain cleaning can begin.

The tried-and-true method of drain snaking is typically the first thing a plumber will try when trying to clean out a drain. The snake is inserted into the pipe until it reaches the problem area, at which point the auger on the end of it will be used to break up the blockage. This is a great way to get rid of many different kinds of clogs. However, it’s not the best tool for every situation. Drain snakes can’t reach every part of the pipe walls, and there are some types of drain issues that they are ill-suited to solve. If the drain snake isn’t able to deal with the issue, the next step is often hydro jetting.

A more recent addition to the plumber’s arsenal when dealing with drain problems, a hydro jet is like a firehose for pipes. The jet fires a high-pressure stream of water through an omnidirectional sprayer head, which allows it to reach all areas of the pipe. The hydro jet’s pressure is high enough to blast pretty much anything out of the pipes, leaving them clear to resume operation. Hydro jetting is often used for preventive drain maintenance, as well as addressing specific drain problems. This is because it can actually prevent new clogs from forming in the future by getting rid of any buildup of waste or lime scale. Drain snaking, by contrast, is used more to fix drain issues than to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

If neither of these methods works for clearing the drain pipe, something a bit more serious may need to be used. That may include replacing the pipe entirely, if whatever is clogging it is too entrenched to remove. It all depends on the individual situation, and the plumber handling it. For most drain problems, though, this is often how the procedure goes.

Lutz Plumbing, Inc. provides drain cleaning services in Overland Park, KS. Contact us today for an appointment.