The short version
A snake punches a hole through a clog. A hydro jet scours the entire inside wall of the pipe back to bare pipe. Both have their place.
Use a snake when
- One drain is backing up and you know what caused it (kid flushed a toy, hairball in the shower)
- You need cheap and fast
- The pipe is in good condition and you just need this one clog gone
Use hydro jetting when
- The line keeps clogging in the same spot
- It's a grease line (any restaurant, any kitchen drain)
- Roots are involved
- You've already snaked and it backed up again within a month
- A camera shows scale or buildup along the pipe wall
Use neither when
If a camera shows the pipe is broken, separated, or has a belly full of standing water, jetting and rodding are short-term band-aids. You need a repair, lining, or replacement.
Our standard playbook
Camera first → match the tool → re-camera to confirm. That's how you stop calling the sewer guy twice a year for the same line.
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