When a drain is clogged, a plumber has more than one tool to clear it. A drain snake, also called a cable, is the traditional approach that most people have heard of. Water jetting is a newer method that uses high-pressure water to blast away the blockage. Both work, but they work in different ways and are chosen for different reasons. If you have a drain problem and you are wondering which method a plumber will recommend, here is what each approach does and why one might be chosen over the other.
How a Drain Snake Works
A drain snake is a long cable made of flexible metal, sometimes with a cutting head on the end. The cable is fed down the drain, and as it moves, the cutting head breaks apart the clog, or the cable hooks into the blockage and pulls it out. For a simple clog caused by hair, soap buildup, or paper, a snake often works quickly and effectively.
The snake can reach into the drain from the house without digging, which makes it a fast solution for many clogs. It has been around for a long time, plumbers know how to use it, and it works in a lot of situations. For these reasons, snaking is often the first approach a plumber takes when a drain is clogged.
How Water Jetting Works
Water jetting is a different approach altogether. A high-pressure hose with a special nozzle is fed down the drain, and water is pumped at extremely high pressure, sometimes thousands of pounds per square inch. That pressure blasts the clog apart and scours the inside of the pipe at the same time. When the jetting is done, not only is the clog cleared, but the pipe walls are clean.
Water jetting is a more aggressive method than snaking, and it does more work in the pipe. It does not just clear the blockage, it removes buildup and debris that has accumulated on the pipe walls, leaving the pipe cleaner than it was before.
Clogs That Snaking Handles Well
A simple clog from hair, soap, and paper is often best handled by snaking. The snake reaches the clog quickly, clears it, and the water flows again. For this kind of problem, snaking is often the faster and less costly solution. The snake does not require special equipment, and it can be done quickly.
Clogs that are close to the drain, like a blockage just inside the drain trap, are also good candidates for snaking. The plumber can reach them easily, and the snake clears them without having to work very far into the pipe.
Clogs That Jetting Handles Better
Water jetting shines when the problem is more complex. A clog caused by grease buildup is often best handled by jetting, since the high-pressure water actually melts and flushes away the grease. A snake can break through a grease clog, but it does not remove the grease the way jetting does, so the problem can return quickly.
Tree roots in the drain line are another case where jetting is often the better choice. A snake can sometimes break through roots, but jetting actually slices through the roots and clears them out, which gives better long-term results. Buildup from minerals and sediment on the inside of drain lines is also something that jetting addresses better than snaking, since the high pressure scours the pipe walls clean.
A clog that is deep in the line or in the sewer lateraloutside the house is often more easily handled by jetting as well, since the high-pressure water can travel further and do more work in a longer pipe.
When a Plumber Chooses Snaking
A plumber starts with snaking when the clog is simple and straightforward. It is the fastest and least costly approach for many clogs, and if it works, there is no reason to do anything more. A plumber also snakes when the clog is close to the surface and easy to reach with a cable.
In some cases, a plumber snakes first to see what the problem is. Once the immediate clog is cleared, the plumber can see what is happening in the pipe and whether a deeper problem, like grease or roots, is present. This snaking may be followed by jetting if the underlying issue calls for it.
When a Plumber Chooses Jetting
A plumber chooses jetting when the blockage is caused by grease, roots, minerals, or when there is significant buildup on the pipe walls. Jetting is also chosen when the clog is deep in the line or in the sewer lateral. For a commercial kitchen drain that is backed up with grease, jetting is often the right choice from the start, since snaking may not clear the grease effectively enough to prevent a quick return of the problem.
A plumber also chooses jetting for preventive drain cleaning. Even when a drain is not clogged, jetting can be done to remove buildup and keep the drain clean and flowing well. This is common for drains in bathrooms and kitchens that are prone to buildup.
Comparing Cost & Time
Snaking is usually faster and less costly than jetting. For a simple clog, snaking may take an hour or less. Jetting takes longer and costs more, since it requires special equipment and more time on the job. For this reason, a plumber often starts with snaking and moves to jetting if snaking does not fully solve the problem or if the cause is something that jetting handles better.
Summing It All Together
Both snaking and water jetting are effective ways to clear clogs, and both are used depending on what the problem is. Snaking is fast and effective for simple clogs and is often the first approach a plumber takes. Water jetting is better for complex clogs, grease, roots, and buildup, and it also cleans the pipe while clearing the blockage. A plumber chooses between them based on what the clog is, where it is, and what caused it. When you have a drain problem, a plumber can assess it and recommend the approach that will solve it most effectively.
