Why a drain snake only buys you time

Snakes punch a hole through the clog. Jetting cleans the pipe. Here's when each is worth it.

What a snake actually does

A drain snake (auger) is a long flexible cable with a tip that breaks up a blockage. It punches a hole through whatever's clogging the line so water flows again. What it doesn't do is clean the pipe walls. Whatever residue is stuck on the inside of the line is still there — which is why the same drain often clogs again a few months later.

What hydro-jetting does instead

Jetting uses 1500–4000 PSI of water through a specialized nozzle to scour the entire interior of the pipe. Roots, grease, scale, and biofilm all come out. The pipe goes back to looking close to new. It costs more than a snake call, but for recurring clogs and anything heavy in grease or roots, it's the right tool.

When a snake is enough

Single first-time clog from hair or food, soft blockage, accessible cleanout, line otherwise in good shape. We'll snake it, test the flow, and move on. We're not going to upsell you to a $500 jetting if a $150 snake does the job.

When jetting is worth the upgrade

Repeat clogs at the same fixture. Multiple fixtures backing up. Roots in the line on a camera scope. Grease-heavy kitchen lines that have been chemical-cleaned for years. Old cast iron with scale buildup. We always camera-scope after jetting so you can see the difference.