Clogs happen when things like toilet paper, hair, food waste, dirt, or small items get stuck in your drains. Even if you’re very careful about what goes down your drains, things like hard water minerals and oils from shampoos and body wash can create blockages. This means that it’s likely you’ll experience some type of clogged drain at some point in time. When this happens, we can use either hydro jetting or snaking to clear the drain.

Snaking

Snaking involves the use of a special tool called a plumber’s snake or a plumbing auger. It’s a long, flexible tube that we use to break up blockages. The tube is placed in the drain and fed through the blockage with a hand crank. As it twists and pushes, it grabs the clog and pulls it out.

Snaking is best for clearing minor clogs. It’s also a preferred method for older plumbing systems.

Snaking is effective, but the results are often temporary. While it creates a hole through the blockage that lets water flow through, it won’t completely clean the drain. Traces of the clog remain, which allows your drain to clog faster the next time.

It may scratch your pipes, too, which damages the pipe’s coating. This can eventually cause rusting and cracks that can bring on additional plumbing problems.

Hydro Jetting

Hydro jetting relies on high-pressure water to remove blockages. We use a machine to pressurize the water and feed it into your drain with a hose.

Hydro jetting is highly effective. It doesn’t leave any debris behind. It removes everything from hair to tree roots. It can be a more expensive process than snaking, but since it completely cleans the drain, it’ll be a long time before you need further repairs. It’s a mess-free, quick process that minimizes contact with contaminants. Hydro jetting is an environmentally friendly option, too, that doesn’t rely on chemicals to remove clogs.

There is one disadvantage to hydro jetting. We have to do a camera inspection first. This is so we can assess the age and condition of your pipes. We need to make sure your pipes can withstand the high-pressure stream of water. If they’re old or damaged, they won’t hold up.

Which Method Is Best?

When you experience a clogged drain, we’ll help you determine what the best course of action is. The next time you’re faced with a plumbing problem in Lincoln, NE, call Select Plumbing for our professional plumbing service.