Pros and Cons: Drain Snaking

There are few plumbing issues more common or more potentially damaging in the home than drain blockages, and drain cleaning is one of our primary services offered at Whipple Service Champions. In particular, clogs of the main sewage line are especially problematic – they can back up all the way into pipes in your yard, and often require a massive, costly overhaul of your entire plumbing system.

Luckily, we have multiple solutions available for you at Whipple. The two primary forms of drain cleaning are snaking and hydro-jetting: Snaking uses a metal device inserted into your pipes, while hydro-jetting involves a high-pressure water stream to clear out major clogs. Drain snaking is the oldest and most tried-and-tested method – let’s look at some of the pros and cons.

What is Snaking?

Snaking is a method done with an auger – a steel cable with a coil at one end. The auger is inserted into the drain, and the coil is able to extend and eliminate any blockages in the drain. In most cases, this coil can extend much longer than the actual length of your drain, so there’s no issue with length concerns.

Pros of Snaking

• Historical effectiveness: For basic clogs in drains, snaking is a decades-old method that’s been proven to work.
• No pipe damage: Unlike hydro-jetting, there’s no risk of damaged pipes through snaking. It’s a gentle process.

Cons of Snaking

• Limited against tough clogs. There are certain clogs that simply might be too thick or dense for snaking to clear up.
• Width: If the auger isn’t quite as wide as the pipe itself, it will only clear an area the size of the auger – often leaving bits of clog still in the pipe and causing the issue to recur soon after.

Want to learn more about drain maintenance, or any other element of our plumbing services? Speak to the experts at Whipple Service Champions today.