Snaking and hydro-jetting are the two effective ways of dealing with difficult drain clogs that simple techniques can't get rid of. However, many people are more familiar with snaking as compared to hydro-jetting.

Hydro-Jetting Explained

In hydro-jetting, the plumber uses a high-pressure hose to force water through the affected drain. The hose is fitted with an adjustable nozzle that regulates the water pressure so the lumber is able to adjust the water pressure to fit the situation. In hydro-jetting, water is forced into the drain, breaks up the offending debris, and pushes them out into the main sewer channel for proper disposal.

Precautions For Using A Hydro-Jet

One of the dangers of using a hydro-jet is that the force of the water can easily break up the pipe in addition to the debris causing the blockage. This is particularly true if the drain pipe is old, rusty, or damaged. As a precaution, the plumber will first examine the condition of the drain pipe with a small video camera to ascertain its structural integrity. After that, the plumber will determine whether to go ahead with hydro-jetting and the maximum water pressure to use.

Advantages Over Snaking

As you would expect, hydro-jetting has several advantages over snaking:

• Hydro-jetting doesn't just work on the offending clog or debris; rather, it clears the internal drain walls of all materials that have built up in it over the years such as minerals and rust.
• Hydro-jetting works faster than snaking because it is easier to force water down the drain than it is to force a snake through the same drain.
• Hydro-jetting can clear complicated blockages or pipe designs where snaking may not work.

Potential Problems with Hydro-Jetting

The above advantages may make it seem as if hydro-jetting should be the technique of choice for every drain blockage. However, the drain cleaning method does have its disadvantages or potential complications:

• It cannot be used on weak pipes since it may cause them further damage.
• It cannot help in situations where clogging is caused by a hard object such as a piece of toy.
• Hydro-jetting is not a DIY drain cleaning technique since poor pressure control can cause pipe damage.

Now you know more about hydro-jetting, you won't be in the dark the next time your drain company suggests the technique to clear out your clogged drains. As you can see, professional plumbing repair services have more drain cleaning options than DIY homeowners.