Clogged drains are a very common problem faced by almost all homeowners. Especially when there are children in a house, then sinks and toilets often get clogged by toys or food items. Something or the other tends to get stuck in the drains of kitchen sinks, washroom basins and toilets. Sometimes, even residue build up can cause clogged drainage. It is very important to clean the pipes to avoid pipe damages and clogging. There are two ways used by plumbers, to solve clogged drain problem, hydro jet and plumbing snake.
Snakes
In plumbing snakes, a long flexible metal tube is used. It is slowly inserted into the pipe and down the clog. The long snake like pipe has blades at the end of the tube. While going down the clog, if there is any resistance felt, the tube must be twisted to pull out the waste from the drain. It is often used to take out toys, wrappers or hair clogs from the drains. Plumbing snakes is also called the plumbing auger. Two different types of pipes are used in plumbing snakes. For draining toilets, a J-shaped tube is used and for draining the sinks, a straight tube is used. If your plunger is unable to fix the plumbing problem, then it is best to call a professional and ask them to use a plumbing snake to clean out the clogged drain.
Hydro Jet
The other method of cleaning clogged drains is hydro jet. Hydro jet is similar to plumbing snake as it also has a long pipe, but it has a special nozzle which is connected to an electronic machine. The pipe used in hydro jet is high-pressure. The machine or a water tank, to which the pipe is connected, produces high pressure water stream that thoroughly clears the clogged drain and also the pipes itself. Hydro jets are good to clean up any sort of waste in the drains and sinks as a powerful stream of water is released in the pipe. Hydro jetting is a very effecting way of dealing with big clogs, especially if these clogs can not be cleaned by a plumbing snake.
Which is better?
Both methods have different uses and are designed to cater to different plumbing needs. Snakes are best to clear out small clogs like when there is mineral built up or hair is clogged in the sink. Hydro jets are best for clearing out pipes and any sort of clogged drains. The water washes the pipes thoroughly, whereas snake only removes the material that is clogging the drain. It can be decided which is the best method as both are appropriate for clearing out different types of clogged drains. Hydro jet is more like an advanced method, it is often used when plumbing snakes are unable to clear out a clog.
However, sometimes hydro jet may cause damage to the pipes, therefore, a plumber does thorough inspection of the pipe before proceeding with hydro jetting. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that hydro jetting be done only by professionals as the powerful stream of water can also damage pipes. If it is just toilet paper or hair clogged in your drain, then is it best to go with plumbing snakes or auger. And in case tree roots have grown in your drainpipes then hydro jetting will provide best solution. Therefore, the use of both methods of cleaning clogged drains is dependent on the type of problem you are facing.
