Clogs Cleared, and the Reason Found
A snaked drain that clears today and clogs again next month did not really get fixed. We clear the clog, then we find out why it happened, so you are not calling us back about the same sink.
Snaking vs. Hydro Jetting
They are not the same service at two prices. They solve different problems. Here is when each one is the honest answer.
Snaking (Cabling)
A motorized cable bores through the blockage and pulls it back or pushes it clear. Fast, affordable, and the right tool for most single clogs: a hair-clogged tub, a toy in a toilet trap, a soft stoppage in one fixture line.
- Best for a single, isolated clog
- Lower cost, quick to clear
- Reopens the channel through the blockage
Hydro Jetting
A high-pressure water jet scours the full inside of the pipe, cutting grease, scale, and root intrusion back to the bare wall. It costs more because it does more: the line comes out clean, not just open, so it stays clear far longer.
- Best for grease, scale, and recurring clogs
- Clears roots and restores full pipe diameter
- We camera the line first to confirm the pipe can take it
We Camera the Line Before We Quote Sewer Work
Anyone who quotes a sewer dig or a full line replacement without looking inside first is guessing with your money. We run a camera down the line and watch it on the monitor with you. Roots at a joint, a bellied section holding water, a cracked clay tile, or plain old grease all look different, and they all cost different amounts to fix.
Sometimes the camera shows the line is fine and it was a one-time stoppage. That is a good day. We would rather tell you that than sell you a dig you did not need.
Why Your Drain Keeps Clogging
If the same drain backs up over and over, the clog is a symptom. Here are the usual culprits we actually find.
Grease in the kitchen line
The number one repeat offender. Grease goes down warm, hardens a few feet out, and grabs everything after it. Snaking bores a hole through it. Only jetting takes the wall back to clean.
Roots in the sewer main
Tree and shrub roots find the tiny gaps at old pipe joints and grow into the line, especially with clay or cast iron. They come back seasonally. We can jet and cut them, and tell you honestly whether the joint needs real repair.
A belly in the line
A section of pipe that has sagged over the years holds water and catches waste. No amount of snaking fixes a low spot. The camera finds it, and we talk through whether it is worth correcting now or watching.
Hard water scale
Our water is hard, and mineral scale slowly narrows older pipes from the inside. A line that clogs easier every year may just be closing up. Jetting can restore the diameter on the right kind of pipe.
After-Hours Emergency
Sewage backing up into the house?
A main-line backup is a stop-everything call. Keep water off the fixtures, and phone us. Our after-hours line reaches a plumber, not an answering service.
Drain Questions, Answered
For a single soft clog, snaking is the right call and we will not upsell you past it. Jetting earns its cost when a line is coated in grease, scaled up, or clogging every few months. The cable punches a hole through the blockage. The jet scrubs the pipe wall back to bare, so it stays clear a lot longer.
Usually grease. It goes down warm and liquid, then cools and hardens on the pipe wall a few feet out, catching everything after it. Snaking reopens the channel but leaves the buildup. That is why it comes back. A camera shows us the real story, and jetting clears the wall.
Not for a simple sink clog. But before we quote any sewer or main-line work, yes, every time. We are not going to guess at what is under your yard and hand you a big number. The camera tells us if it is roots, a belly, a break, or just grease, and each one has a different fix and a different price.
For a slow bathroom sink, occasionally fine. As a habit, it is rough on older pipes and it rarely clears a real clog, it just sits on top of it. If a drain is fully stopped, skip the chemicals and call. Standing caustic cleaner also makes our job messier and more hazardous when we do arrive.
Clogged, Slow, or Backing Up?
Tell us what is happening and we will get a plumber out. Sewer and main-line jobs get a camera first, and you approve the price before we start.
NC Plumbing License #P-I.31842 · Licensed & Insured · Since 1987