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Hydro Jetting vs. Snaking: Comparing Sewer Cleaning Options
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table of contents
You’re reading this guide because you’re experiencing slow drains, nasty odors or sewage backups into your home. That, or it’s your fourth clog this year and you’re sick of it.
You need a sewer cleaning solution now. You’ve heard about snaking (aka augering) and hydro jetting — but you need more information and a side-by-side comparison to make a decision.
Our plumbers combined over a century of sewer repair experience to craft this comprehensive guide to hydro jetting vs. snaking for sewer cleaning projects.
Live in Dallas-Fort Worth? Contact Mother 7 days a week for fast, expert sewer cleaning.
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🔧5 Problems That Require Sewer Cleaning Solutions
Before we determine whether snaking or hydro jetting is the right solution for you, let’s determine the exact sewer line problem you’re trying to solve.
Which of these 5 warning signs are you dealing with?
- Slow-draining fixtures: Water takes a long time to go down in multiple sinks, tubs, or showers throughout your house.
- Gurgling noises: You might hear gurgling sounds from drains or toilets, especially after flushing or running water.
- Foul odors: Unpleasant sewer smells emanating from drains or around your property.
- Recurring clogs: You clear a clog, but it keeps coming back shortly after, indicating a deeper issue.
- Sewage backups: The most severe symptom, where wastewater backs up into your lowest drains, like toilets or shower stalls.
Let’s use your precise symptoms to choose the right sewer cleaning option for your home.
When to Choose Augering vs. Hydro Jetting
Augering is a great approach for first-time sewer line clogs and softer blockages in healthy pipes.
Hydro jetting is a more powerful solution for recurring clogs as well as complex blockages like root intrusions.
Snaking: Faster, Cheaper, But Less Thorough
Snaking, also known as augering or drain cleaning, is the most common and often first-line defense against clogs. It involves using a long, flexible cable with a cutting head to physically break through and remove blockages.
Hydro Jetting: Powerful, Thorough, But More Expensive
Hydro jetting is a more advanced and powerful cleaning method that uses high-pressure water to thoroughly scour the inside of your sewer pipes, removing even the toughest blockages and buildup.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table: Snaking vs Hydro Jetting
Note: Costs are estimates and can vary based on pipe accessibility, severity of clog, and specific DFW market factors.
Pros and Cons of Sewer Line Snaking (Augering)
What’s involved in the snaking process: A plumbing technician inserts a motorized auger, or "snake," into your drain or sewer line, typically through a cleanout access point.
The cable rotates and extends, allowing the cutting head to chew through obstacles like toilet paper, baby wipes, feminine products, or even light root intrusions, pulling them out or breaking them up so they can flow away. It primarily clears a path through the clog.
Pros:
- Generally less expensive, typically costing $300 to $700.
- A common solution capable of clearing most everyday clogs.
- Doesn't require anything more than an electrical outlet.
- Quick and efficient — completed in one appointment on one day.
Cons:
- Augering doesn't thoroughly clean pipe walls.
- May not remove grease buildup, mineral scale, or extensive roots.
- Can damage fragile pipes due to the high torque of the rotating metal line.
Pros and Cons of Hydro Jetting for Sewer Lines
What’s involved in the hydro jetting process: A specialized hose with a powerful nozzle is inserted into your sewer line. This nozzle propels highly pressurized water (often thousands of PSI) in multiple directions, effectively cutting through roots, blasting away grease, scale, mineral deposits, and other debris that cling to the pipe walls.
This process flushes the entire pipe clean, restoring its original flow capacity.
Pros:
- Much more effective at thoroughly cleaning pipes — a lasting solution for recurring issues.
- Can cut through stubborn tree roots that a snake cannot.
- Excellent for removing scale and sludge from cast iron pipes, extending their lifespan.
- A safer option for fragile pipes where the torque of a snake could cause damage.
- Adds longevity between drain cleanings for lines prone to buildup.
Cons:
- More expensive, typically costing anywhere from $900 to $1500.
- Not always necessary for simple clogs or newer Schedule 40 PVC pipes.
- Requires specific equipment and a skilled technician.
🐍 When to Choose Snaking (Augering)
Snaking is the workhorse for many common drain issues, offering a quick and cost-effective fix for straightforward clogs.
Real-life scenarios where augering is the better choice:
- You have a single clog from something obvious like too much toilet paper: Your toilet or a single drain is backed up, and you suspect a simple blockage.
- Your drains are running slow but not completely stopped: There's a minor obstruction that just needs a good push-through to restore flow.
- You're dealing with infrequent, minor clogs: The problem isn't chronic, and you just need a quick, budget-friendly solution to get things flowing again.
When not to choose snaking or augering: Don't opt for snaking if you're dealing with recurring clogs, a known history of tree root intrusion, or if your pipes are very old cast iron with significant scale buildup. It won't address the underlying issue in these cases.
💧 When to Choose Hydro Jetting
Hydro jetting is the heavy-duty solution for those tough, persistent, or preventative cleaning needs. It’s about more than just unclogging; it’s about restoring your pipe’s health.
Real-life scenarios where hydro jetting is the better choice:
- You have recurring clogs, especially in kitchen drains: This often indicates heavy grease buildup on pipe walls that snaking can't fully remove.
- You've had multiple tree root intrusions: Hydro jetting can cut through roots more effectively and clean out the fine root hairs that remain, helping to slow down future regrowth.
- You have older cast iron pipes with known "benching" or scale buildup: Hydro jetting blasts away this corrosion and scale, significantly extending the life and efficiency of the pipe.
- Your plumber has identified fragile pipes: If the existing drain system is too delicate for a high-torque sewer machine, hydro jetting offers a less invasive, yet powerful, cleaning alternative.
- You want preventative maintenance for a known problematic line: If you know you'll eventually need a repair, hydro jetting can buy you more time between drain cleanings by thoroughly scouring the line.
When not to choose hydro jetting: Hydro jetting isn't always necessary for simple, isolated clogs in Schedule 40 PVC pipes, as these typically don't have the scale or corrosion issues that hydro jetting excels at removing. Older cast iron, clay or Orangeburg pipes may not withstand the high PSI water pressure of hydro jetting services.
✅ What We Recommend
Your final decision between snaking and hydro jetting depends on the nature and severity of your clog, as well as the condition and age of your pipes.
Choose snaking as the first step for simple, common clogs caused by everyday household debris in otherwise healthy pipes. It's often the most efficient and cost-effective solution for these situations.
Choose hydro jetting when you're facing recurring clogs, persistent root problems, heavy grease or scale buildup, or if your pipes are old cast iron or too fragile for traditional snaking. While it has a higher upfront cost, its thorough cleaning power often saves you money and hassle in the long run by preventing future issues and prolonging pipe life.
📞 Call Mother for Effective DFW Sewer Cleaning Services
Sewer augering is the best solution for minor soft clogs in your sewer pipe. For complex, recurring clogs or persistent tree root intrusions, opt for hydro jetting — but only if your pipes are in good condition.
Still not sure which cleaning method is right for your Dallas home? Trust our expert plumbers for expert, cost-effective solutions. We offer the top-rated local sewer line camera inspection service, then walk you through the pros and cons of each solution with no pressure.
Call Mother for expert plumbing service, and a long-term sewer cleaning fix you can trust.
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🙋 Sewer Augering and Hydro Jetting FAQs
How long will sewer augering (snaking) last?
A snaking typically clears the current clog, but how long it lasts depends on the original cause. If it's roots or buildup, the clog will inevitably return.
How long will hydro jetting last?
Hydro jetting provides a much more thorough clean than augering, often lasting significantly longer by removing the source of recurring issues.
Can hydro jetting damage my pipes?
When performed by a trained professional, hydro jetting is safe for most healthy pipes. It’s actually safer than using a sewer machine or cutting head.
However, if your pipes are already severely compromised, collapsed, or disconnected, the high pressure could worsen existing damage.
A sewer line camera inspection before hydro jetting is often recommended to ensure your pipes are in good enough condition to withstand the water pressure.
Do I need a sewer camera inspection before cleaning?
While not always mandatory for simple clogs, a camera inspection is highly recommended before hydro jetting, especially for recurring issues.
It allows the plumber to see the exact cause of the clog, the pipe's condition, and confirm if hydro jetting is the safest and most effective solution.
