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Hydro Jetting vs. Snaking for Your Home’s Plumbing Needs

As a homeowner, there are a few DIY plumbing tasks that you may have mastered, like fixing a leaky faucet or even other, more complex jobs.

And if you should happen to have a clogged toilet or drain, chances are you’re pretty handy with that plunger to get the job done.

 

But What If the Plunger Doesn’t Work?

You should call the plumber who will come and likely use one of these two methods: hydro jetting or a plumbing snake to get rid of that pesky clog.

Hydro Jetting to Blast Through Tough Stuff

Really, the solution to your plumbing dilemma will rest very much with what caused the clog in the first place. Often, more serious clogs, like those from the accumulation of heavier materials like grease, tree matter or mineral and sand buildup, will require more serious force to get them out of the way.

If that’s the case, you’ll need hydro jetting. It works by applying targeted high-pressure streams of water to break up the blockage and flush it away. This isn’t something you should try on your own though because you could do damage to your pipes.

Get Your Plumber’s Help

It’s a good idea to call in your plumber for really stubborn clogs. They can run some diagnostics to assess the strength and integrity of your pipes before hydro jet streams apply damaging force.

They can also help you determine which tools you’ll need to get the job done right the first time.

I’ve Heard of a Plumbing Snake, but What Is It Exactly?

A plumbing snake is a coiled tool that is relatively thin (usually about ¼ inch thick) and can be manipulated and twisted to remove the clog. This tool can be very helpful because it is so long; it can get to clogs that are residing way down inside the pipes, beyond the scope of your plunger’s abilities.

How Does a Plumbing Snake Work?

It works in the opposite way that your plunger works. The plunger uses suction to try to pull the clog out; the corkscrew tip and the twisting pressure placed by the plumber on the other end work to push its way through the other clog.

The one drawback to the plumbing snake is that it doesn’t necessarily remove the clog altogether. The path it clears is fairly thin (i.e. only the width of the tool) so for really stubborn clogs, you’ll need to resort to other measures.

Don’t let a clogged drain inconvenience you. You can get things flowing again quickly and easily just by giving Albert Nahman Plumbing a call at 510-851-9560 to schedule your appointment in Berkeley, CA.

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