Many homeowners do not know all the tools and tricks that plumbers have up their sleeves to clean drains. Manual drain snakes are only one piece of the puzzle. Modern plumbing has advanced significantly because plumbers now have cameras to see inside pipes, hydro jetting machines to blast away clogs, and mechanical snakes that do much more than their manual counterparts. Knowing about these advancements can help you make the right choices when the plumbing in your home needs some TLC.

Looking Inside the Pipes With Cameras

Figuring out clogs inside pipes back in the day wasn’t always easy. Plumbers used torches and other open flame sources before electric flashlights were available. But this was dangerous. So, they had to rely on other methods to diagnose clogs, such as listening for certain clues, using drain snakes, performing a running water test to see which pipes were connected and find the location of the clog, and open cleanouts at different points. In severe cases, they would have to dig up the yard.

The job became much easier for the plumber and less frustrating for the homeowner when cameras came on the scene. Now, plumbers can look deep in the pipes to see what is causing the clog and where it is located. They can also see if an obstruction is due to a clog or a section of collapsed pipe. Digging is not required in most cases. This means there’s much less need to ruin a yard, waste money on temporary solutions, or pay for an extremely expensive lasting repair.

Thoroughly Cleaning the Pipes With Hydro Jetting Machines

A plumbing snake is excellent for poking a hole through a solid clog and breaking it up. But the walls of the pipes still remain dirty. Hydro-jetting machines blast water at high pressure to completely rid pipe walls of any sludge. If you have older pipes in your home, this method may not be suitable because the materials may be brittle. Hydro jetting is safe for modern pipes, though.

Pulverizing the Clog With a Mechanical Drain Snake

Plumbers used manual drain snakes for the longest time. But these require a lot of elbow grease. Mechanical drain snakes are more powerful because they have an electrical motor that causes the cable to spin as it goes inside the pipe. A cutting tool at the end of the cable pulverizes the clog and grabs onto the debris so that the plumber can pull it out of the pipe when they remove the cable.

You may feel tempted to purchase a chemical drain cleaner that promises to remove stubborn clogs quickly without spending a lot of money. Don’t do this. These cleaners contain compounds that produce extreme heat to melt away clogs. This can damage your pipes by eating away their materials and causing leaks that could lead to severe property damage. Always call a plumber for help if simple measures, like a plunger or white vinegar with baking soda, fail to work. This is safest. When you need drain cleaning services in Granada Hills, CA, contact Turbo Plumbing & Rooter.