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Is hydro jetting worth it?
Snaking a drain gets water moving. Hydro jetting cleans the pipe. Here’s when the extra cost pays off, and when a simple cable clearing is all you need.
Snaking vs. jetting in plain English
Snaking (cable clearing) sends a spinning steel cable down the drain to punch a hole through the clog. It’s fast and affordable, and for a one-time clog in a sink, tub or toilet it’s usually all you need.
Hydro jetting sends water at very high pressure through a special nozzle that scrubs the full inside of the pipe. Instead of poking a hole through the grease, sludge or roots, it washes them out of the line.
| Snaking | Hydro jetting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Opens a path through the clog | Scours the whole pipe wall clean |
| Best for | One-time clogs, hair, small blockages | Grease, sludge, roots, repeat clogs |
| How long it lasts | Until buildup catches waste again | Much longer, because the buildup is gone |
| Our price | $99 single drain · $298+ main line | From $940 for a main line |
When hydro jetting is worth it
- The same line keeps clogging. If you’ve had the main line snaked two or three times in a year, you’re paying again and again for a temporary fix.
- Kitchen grease. Grease coats the pipe like cholesterol. A cable pokes through it; jetting removes it.
- Roots. Jetting cuts and flushes fine roots out of the line. (Big root intrusions may also need a repair.)
- Restaurants and commercial kitchens that need lines kept clear on a schedule.
- Before a camera inspection so the camera can actually see the condition of the pipe walls.
When it’s not worth it
- A single slow bathroom sink or tub, usually hair. A $99 cable clearing handles it.
- A toy or object stuck in a toilet.
- A pipe that’s broken, collapsed or badly bellied. Jetting won’t fix a broken pipe; the pipe needs a repair.
- Very old, thin cast iron. High pressure isn’t the right tool for fragile pipe. Descaling or replacement is.
Is hydro jetting safe for my pipes?
For PVC and cast iron in sound condition, yes, when a trained plumber sets the pressure and nozzle for the pipe. That’s why we look at the line first, and use a camera when the pipe’s condition is in question.