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Professional drain cleaning techniques and technology have improved to be more effective and easier on your pipes. The two best options are power rodding and hydro-jetting. Older snaking techniques and tools were found to have short range, limited to particular access points, and could damage plumbing lines.

Plumbers found that simply punching a hole in an obstruction with a plumber’s snake often doesn’t clear the pipe sufficiently and would require repeat visits. As long as parts of the obstruction continue to exist, food and waste build up on it until it again becomes a problem.

Power rodding and hydro jetting are the latest tools in a plumber’s arsenal to clear clogs and reduce their chance of reoccurring.

What is Power Rodding?

Power rodding is a higher-tech, more effective version of a basic drain snake. It requires special plumbing equipment. The system uses a highly flexible thin metal cable that can bend around your pipes' twists and turns.

At the end of this cable is a cleaning head that has sharp cutting teeth designed for the diameter of your pipe. An electric motor rotates the entire cable and spins wildly through the pipe, clearing and cleaning with the head at a high speed. The cleaning heat destroys the immediate clog and helps clean the pipe walls.

Sewer line rodding can also be used to remove tree roots that have infiltrated an outdoor sewer line. The holes that the roots have invaded need to be repaired to protect the integrity of the sewer line, but power rodding is the first step to repairing the line.

Benefits of Power Rodding

Power rodding is a cost-effective way to clear clogs and sewer lines. It is more affordable than hydro jetting and effectively clears clogged drains. Cleaning out your pipes can extend the life of your pipes, and your water will drain faster.

Power sewer rodding will also clear out your mainline sewer drain, including any invading tree roots.

Disadvantages of Power Rodding

Power rodding doesn’t clean pipes quite as thoroughly as hydro jetting. This means that small sections of gunk or grime might still cling to the pipes, and clogs can more easily form again. While power rodding does a better job of cleaning than standard snaking, it requires more regular cleaning than hydro jetting.

What is Hydro-Jetting?

Hydro jetting is the newest plumbing procedure that thoroughly cleans your pipes and drains. A special pressure washer blasts hot water through your pipes with intense pressure to clean your pipes. This washes every surface of your pipes and leaves nothing for dirt or grime to hold onto to form clogs. The heated water dissolves the sludge and grease that causes clogs to form.

Hydro jetting can leave your pipes in a near-new condition in terms of the next required cleaning. It clears out any clogs you have and washes your pipes from top to bottom.

Benefits of Hydro-Jetting

Pipes are thoroughly cleaned, clogs are disintegrated, and you don’t have to worry about clogs anytime in the near future! Hydro jetting means fewer plumber appointments and more worry-free living.

Disadvantages of Hydro-Jetting

Power jetting is a more expensive process requiring more expensive equipment. Additionally, it is not suitable for older piping systems. Older systems cannot handle the up to 4500 PSI of a hydro jet. For this reason, plumbers often need to perform a camera inspection to ensure that your pipes can handle the extra pressure. If they cannot, hydro-jetting can cause more problems than it fixes.

Which Drain Clearing Process Should I Choose?

The choice of which drain cleaning process to use really depends on your pipes, budget, and the recommendation of your professional plumber. Each has advantages and disadvantages, but with a professional plumber, you likely won’t be disappointed by either choice.

Apollo Home offers power rodding and hydro jetting services in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Contact us for more information on our professional drain cleaning services.