The short answer
Snaking pushes a spinning steel cable through the clog and opens a path. Hydro jetting sends water at high pressure through a hose with a nozzle that scrubs the whole inside wall of the pipe. For a single clog, like wipes or a toy, snaking is usually all you need. For grease, sludge or roots that keep coming back, jetting is the better fix, because it cleans the pipe instead of punching a hole through the middle. In Northern Virginia we put a camera down an old line before we jet it.
How snaking works
A drain machine, also called a drain snake, an auger or a rooter, spins a flexible steel cable down the pipe. The head on the end, a corkscrew, a spade or a cutter, bores into the clog and breaks it up or grabs it so it can be pulled back. It works in nearly any pipe in nearly any shape, it’s quick, and it costs less.
The catch: a cable opens a hole about its own size. Grease on the walls stays. Root fibers get cut, but the stubs stay in the joint. That’s why a snaked line sometimes clogs again in a few weeks.
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How hydro jetting works
A jetter pumps water through a hose with a nozzle on the end. Most of the nozzle’s jets point backward, which pulls the hose up the pipe and blasts the walls as it goes, and a forward jet breaks into the clog. Pulled back slowly, it washes grease, sludge, sand and root fibers out of the line. The pipe comes out closer to its full size, so it stays clear longer.
It takes more setup. The jetter needs a cleanout to go into and room to run hose, and it costs more than snaking.
Swipe to see all columns →
Swipe to see all columns →
| Snaking | Hydro jetting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Opens a path through the clog | Scours the whole pipe wall |
| Best for | Wipes, paper, a toy, a first clog | Grease, sludge, roots, clogs that keep coming back |
| Old or fragile pipe | Fine on most pipe | Camera first |
| How long it lasts | Until the next buildup | Longer, because the walls are clean |
| What it costs | Part of drain cleaning: $200 to $800 for a fixture line, $550 to $1,650 for the main | More. Prices on hydro jetting |
Is hydro jetting safe for old pipes?
On sound pipe, yes, with the right nozzle and pressure for the pipe size. On pipe that’s already falling apart, it can make things worse: softened Orangeburg pipe, clay with broken sections, or cast iron that’s rotted through on the bottom. That’s why a camera goes down an old line before the jetter does. If the camera shows a pipe that can’t take it, we snake it and talk with you about the pipe. The camera is $89 added to a visit.
Is hydro jetting worth it?
- Worth it when the same line clogs every few months, when a kitchen line is coated in grease, when roots are in the joints, or before a liner goes in, because a liner needs a clean pipe.
- Worth it on a belly, where waste settles in a low spot and a cable just pokes through it.
- Not worth it for a first clog in a line that’s been fine for years, or for something solid that went down by mistake. A snake gets that, and you save the jetting for when you need it.
Our crew runs both, plus the camera, and we’ll tell you which one your line needs and why before we start.
What about doing it yourself?
A hand snake is fine for a sink or a tub, and how to use a drain snake shows how. Jetter hoses sold for home pressure washers exist, but a home pressure washer moves much less water than a real jetter, and the water is what carries the mess out of a main line. On a main line, don’t rent anything you haven’t run before. Main sewer line clog covers what to do while you wait.
When you’d rather we do it
A sink clogged at the trap is $99 with our sink clearing offer, up to the P-trap. A toilet, tub, shower or any drain past the trap is drain cleaning, $200 to $800. The main line to the street runs $550 to $1,650, and when grease or roots keep coming back, hydro jetting clears the pipe wall. You get the price before we start. A plumbing diagnosis visit is $49, or $250 after hours.
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Questions people ask
Is hydro jetting better than snaking?
For grease, sludge and roots that keep coming back, yes, because it cleans the whole pipe wall. For a single clog, snaking is usually enough and costs less.
Is hydro jetting safe for old pipes?
On sound pipe, yes. On pipe that’s soft, broken or rotted through, it can make things worse, so a camera goes down an old line first.
Does hydro jetting remove tree roots?
It washes out root fibers, and a cutting nozzle can cut roots back. Roots grow back through the joint unless the pipe is sealed or replaced.
How long does hydro jetting last?
Longer than snaking, because the walls are clean. How long depends on what built up: grease and roots come back, a one time clog doesn’t.
Is hydro jetting worth the money?
When the same line clogs every few months, usually yes. For a first clog in a line that’s been fine for years, snake it and see.
