When dealing with a clogged/blocked drain or sewer line in your home and you are trying to clean it, how do you know the proper drain-cleaning method? There are several things to consider when selecting a drain cleaning method, and in this post, we discuss the pros and cons of the various options.
Professional drain-cleaning methods can be divided into two categories: traditional and contemporary drain-cleaning methods. The traditional methods are often simpler to use and have been around for a long time, while the modern methods are more recent.
Traditional drain-cleaning methods
These include:
- Snaking: This is a long, flexible metal cable with a corkscrew-like tip inserted into the drain to break up and dislodge the clog. Drain snakes come in different sizes: hand-held snakes with minimal reach and large mechanical drain snakes used by professional plumbers.
- Plunger: Plunging is the oldest drain-cleaning method. A plunger uses pressure and suction to force blockages out of a drainpipe. There are three types of plungers: sink plungers, toilet (or flange) plunger, and accordion plungers. Powered drain plungers are also available; this is a recent innovation.
- Chemical drain cleaners: These are the go-to choice for many homeowners and tenants, says First and Main Property Management. They are a range of liquid cleaners that can be bought off-the-shelf at most stores. They contain chemicals that can eat their way through blockages inside a drain to restore the water flow. Chemical drain cleaners also cause health problems.
Modern drain cleaning methods
The primary modern drain cleaning method is hydro jetting.
Hydro jetting: This method uses high-pressure water to remove blockages from a drain line. The stream of water is delivered via a flexible hose with a stainless steel nozzle at its tip. The water pressure used in hydro jetting is high enough to blast away all kinds of blockage inside a drainpipe.
Which is more effective: modern or traditional drain-cleaning methods?
The modern method of drain cleaning – hydro jetting – is better than the older ones. The reason is that hydro jetting improves on the shortcomings of these older methods. Hydro jetting allows you to clean your home’s drain in ways that are impossible with traditional methods.
What are the things that make hydro jetting more effective than traditional drain-cleaning methods?
Unrestricted reach
Mechanical augers and drain snakes have the severe limitation of being unable to access clogs that are lodged in awkward areas of the drain line. They have limited maneuverability. As a result, they cannot clean the drain completely. Since it uses water, hydro jetting does not have this limitation. The water used in hydro jetting can access all corners of the drain line.
Thorough cleaning
Drain snakes and chemical cleaners do not always remove the clogs inside a drain line. Sometimes, all they do is drill a hole through the clog. That provides temporary relief by restoring the water flow without solving the problem. Hydro jetting will remove the clog and wash the residues out of the pipe.
Dealing with difficult blockages
Drain snakes and chemical cleaners are practically useless for dealing with sludge and large grease buildup. They also have limited effectiveness if there is serious tree root intrusion within the pipes. But hydro jetting will solve these problems. Hydro jetting also removes the accumulated debris on pipe walls to restore the optimal flow capacity of the drain.
Suitable for different uses
Hydro jetting is effective for cleaning residential, commercial and industrial plumbing systems. The water pressure used in the operation can be altered to handle both small-scale and large-scale blockages and buildups. Water jetting can also be used to prepare a plumbing system when planning to repair or replace the pipes. Furthermore, it can be used as a method of preventive maintenance.
Environmental impact
Because it uses only water, hydro jetting is safe. Unlike chemical drain cleaners, it doesn’t pose a threat to nature. Chemical drain cleaners damage pipes and can leech out of the plumbing to pollute groundwater. The toxic fumes emitted by chemical drain cleaners can also find their way into the home. These issues don’t exist with hydro jetting.
Cost-effective
Although the upfront cost of hydro jetting is higher than the cost of chemical drain cleaners and drain snaking, this cost is offset by significant savings down the road. Due to the effectiveness of hydro jetting, future blockages in pipes that have been cleaned with this method are highly unlikely. Furthermore, by completely removing the buildup inside the drainpipe, hydro jetting prolongs the life of the plumbing.
To sum up, one of the best things about water jetting is the speed of the operation. Because of how effective hydro jetting is at cleaning drains, what is even surprising is that the process takes considerably little time. If you have a clogged drain in your home today, you may want to get a professional plumber to clear that clog by hydro jetting your pipes.