Every building with plumbing needs maintenance, but how do you know when hydro jet drain cleaning is necessary? Many times you can solve a plumbing problem, such as a clog, without much spending or work by using a plumbing snake, but there are some issues that require a more thorough solution.
There are a few
factors that will determine what the best method for you is. First, let’s go
through what the differences between hydro jetting and a plumbing snake are, as
well as the pros and cons of each method.
Most are familiar
with a plumbing snake. It is a tool that uses a flexible cable that reaches
into piping and is best used to dislodge and remove most minor clogs. One
downside to a plumbing snake is it doesn’t handle really hard clogs such as
when tree roots find their way into your plumbing.
Hydro jet drain cleaning on the other hand excels at hard clogs, by feeding a high-pressure hose through the piping that blasts through any clogs such as grease, mineral build-up, hair, roots, and other debris. This hose is typically followed up with a small camera that can give further analysis on the state of your building’s pipes (such as revealing cracks in the pipeline).
On the downside of
hydro jetting, due to the heavy duty nature of the method, older homes with
weaker pipe material may give out. Of course, your plumber will likely assess
your home as a bad candidate before using hydro jetting, but it is worth seeing
if your home and its piping qualifies. It is much more efficient in terms of
cleaning and you are less likely to encounter a clog in the future.
At the end of the
day, the best choice for you is different than the best choice for someone
else. If you are encountering constant small clogs in your home, hiring a
plumber for a snake, or even buying the tool and doing the fix yourself may be
the best use of your money. However, if you are maintaining a workplace or a
higher traffic area than a house, you’re better off with the occasional hydro
jet cleaning!