When you have a clogged drain, you have two main professional options: drain snaking (cabling) or hydro jetting. Both can clear a blockage, but they solve the problem in very different ways — and knowing the difference helps you get the right fix.
A drain snake, or cable machine, pushes a flexible metal cable down the line to break through or hook a clog. It's fast, effective for simple blockages, and often the right call for a single stubborn clog. The downside: a snake punches a hole through the blockage but leaves the surrounding buildup on the pipe walls, so clogs frequently return.
Hydro jetting takes a more thorough approach. It uses a high-pressure stream of water — up to several thousand PSI — to scour the entire inside surface of the pipe. This blasts away grease, sludge, scale, and even tree roots, restoring the pipe to nearly its full diameter. The result is a cleaner line that stays clear far longer.
So which do you need? For a one-off clog in a small line, snaking may be all it takes. But for recurring backups, grease-heavy commercial lines, root intrusion, or main sewer lines, hydro jetting is the better long-term investment. We often run a camera first to recommend the right method honestly.
Not sure which your situation calls for? That's exactly what our free camera inspection is for. We'll show you what's really going on inside your pipe and recommend the solution that actually fits — no upselling.