As a homeowner, your first reaction to handling a clogged drain pipe is to use a plunger. In some cases, this may work, but there are also situations where this simply isn’t enough to get the job done. When unclogging a drain, the next idea that you may come up with is the use of a chemical drain cleaning solution. However, plumbing experts don’t usually recommend this method of drain cleaning due to its risk reward ratio. Imagine: If the chemical solution doesn’t go far enough down the unclogged drain, the chemical will just sit in the drain and corrode the pipe. This creates a far greater risk to your drain pipes than it does good.
We’ll assess the situation to come up with the best solution to unclog the drain pipe whether it’s a:
- Sink drain/ bathtub drain
- Toilet drain
- Shower drain
- Sewer drain
Drain Cleaning
There are two methods of drain cleaning that will take care of any clogged drain pipe:
1) the Plumbing Snake
2) the Hydro Jet
Both methods of drain cleaning have their own advantages and their disadvantages. In this article, we will help you understand what approach you should take when using each of these drain cleaners.
Method #1: Plumbing Snake
The plumbing snake is a device that uses a metal rod with a pointed tip that pushes through whatever is creating the blockage. This method of drain cleaning the least expensive method to choose from, but is still quite effective in most scenarios. The metal rod is thin, making it perfect for avoiding any possible damage to a delicate pipe that is older or made of a material that can easily be damaged.
The disadvantages that come with the plumbing snake is its lack of forcefulness. In some cases, the plumbing snake simply isn’t powerful enough to break through or push the items causing the blockage in the drain. Unclogging a drain can require more than a pointed tip to fully clean the drain in some scenarios. Another issue with the plumbing snake is the fact that it’s so thin. For sewer drains that are larger than a toilet drain, the plumbing snake isn’t large enough to clean the wide pipe and unclog the drain.
Method #2: Hydro Jetting
Hydro jetting is another method of drain cleaning that we consider to be the most efficient way to unclog a drain. A hydro jet is a machine that sprays pressurized water down the drain, which can break up any blockage built up in the drain. We typically use hydro jetting to take care of the most severe cases of drain cleaning for items such as sand, branches, and major grease build ups.
The disadvantages of hydro jetting are also its most valuable asset—its forcefulness. Due to the power of the pressurized water spray, it can possibly damage delicate pipes that are older or made of materials that can’t handle the force. Hydro jetting is also the more expensive option to choose because of its efficiency.
Unsure About How to Unclog Your Drain Pipe?
That is why you should contact an expert plumber to handle the issue for you. So, if you are in the Phoenix area, the best decision that you can make is to hire the drain cleaning specialists at Custom Cooling and Plumbing services.