Drain Clearing vs Drain Cleaning; know the difference for your plumbing and your wallet

Your drain is clogged. Now what? No matter where or how they originate, unaddressed drain clogs cause other issues in connected pipes, your main plumbing system, and potentially infiltrate the entire main sewer system.  Slow drains, pressure leaks, gurgling sounds, mysterious odors and then the eventual back-up! A clogged drain might start out as a small nuisance, but it can turn into a BIG problem for your home, and your wallet if not addressed. As a homeowner, all you really want is to have the muck removed and your drains flowing freely again.

When it’s time to call in a plumbing professional for your drain service, the terms they use to describe their drain work may be confusing and sometimes misinterpreted. The terms, drain ‘service’, drain ‘clearing’, or drain ‘opening’ are used loosely by some plumbing companies. You may notice they advertise a discounted rate up-front to ‘open’, ‘clear’ or ‘service’ your drains, so it’s important to understand exactly what you will be getting, or more importantly, NOT getting.

Drain Services (aka drain opening, drain clearing)

During this process, a plumbing snake is inserted to target the obstructed area. A puncture is made in the blockage permitting the drainage to flow through it. The drain is opened just enough to temporarily restore water flow, but clogs will likely reoccur since your drain still has remnants of the previous clog adhering to the insides of the pipes. This is the least expensive, but less effective process over the long term.

Drain Cleaning 

The drain cleaning method is the most effective way to dislodge clogs, as it thoroughly flushes out all obstructions, including tree roots from your pipes.  In most cases, the obstruction is clearly identified by utilizing a fiber-optic video camera inserted down the drain allowing drain specialists to see real-time imagery of the blockage. A drain jetting machine creates the high-powered water pressure necessary to fully clean and remove sludge out of the pipes. If tree roots are the problem, a cutter blade /cabling system tool sweeps the entire drain of ALL remaining debris.

What is the best choice for you?

It really comes down to each and every homeowner. If you feel that a simple drain open/clearing will suffice, that is your choice. If you truly want to ensure that your drain is cleared and cleaned of all debris, you may want to spend a little extra for thorough results.

The pros at The Waterworks with 80+ years of experience encourage a proactive approach to keeping drains clean and pipes running freely. We offer a 90-day guarantee on drain cleaning services for normal stoppages, as well as labor and material, and a one-year guarantee on tree roots.

Better Care. Better Value. Better Results. Call the plumbing, drain, and hvac experts at The Waterworks today to avoid big problems in the future