Is hydro jetting better than snaking?
For grease, soap and scale on a pipe in good condition, yes. For a cracked, collapsed or very old line, no. That is why the camera usually goes in first.
A snake, or drain auger, bores through the blockage. Water flows again quickly, but the coating on the pipe wall stays put, so the clog has a head start on coming back.
Hydro jetting sends water through the line at high pressure and scours the inside of the pipe. It is the better fix for a kitchen line that slows down every few months, because it removes what the next clog would build on.
That pressure is also the risk. On an old clay or cast iron line with cracks or root damage, jetting can make a weak spot worse. A look with the camera tells us which tool suits your pipe before either one goes in.
For one clogged fixture, a snake is often all it takes, and that is what you pay for.
Want it looked at?
Tell us how often the line blocks and how old the house is, and we will tell you which approach fits.