Hydro-Jetting vs. Power Rodding — How These Relatively Modern Tools Are Used to Clear Blockages in Pipes

Advances in plumbing technology have changed how today's plumbers work for the better. Long gone are the days when a plumber's snake was the weapon of last resort for dislodging difficult drain and sewer pipe blockages that couldn't be cleared with a plunger. These days, there are newer (and better) plumbing techniques for unclogging clogs in such plumbing lines. Two relatively new plumbing methods used to clear troublesome drain and sewer pipe blockages are hydro-jetting and power rodding. 

Read on below to familiarise yourself with these cutting-edge ways of clearing blockages.

Hydro-jetting

As the name implies, hydro-jetting involves the use of high-pressure streams of water to remove difficult blockages in drains and sewer lines. A hydro-jetter—the water-jetting equipment—has a high-pressure nozzle that shoots streams of water in all directions within a drain or sewer pipe to clear blockages. The force of the water jets not only dislodges clogs, but it also flushes loose debris downstream and out of the plumbing system. The flow and pressure of the water jets can be set at different levels, as each situation is unique. Generally speaking, however, higher flows work better for softer debris, while a higher pressure works better for stiffer debris.

Hydro-jetting is a job that requires professional handling. A professional plumber will know the correct flow and pressure for unclogging your clogged plumbing pipes.

Power rodding

Power rodding is another relatively modern plumbing technique used to clean and clear clogs from the internal surfaces of the plumbing pipes. Power rodding equipment features a cleaning head armed with a set of very sharp teeth to cut through the obstruction blocking the pipe, be it sludge accumulation or intrusions by tree roots. The cleaning head is connected to a thin cable to guide the head through the clogged drain or sewer pipe. 

Once power rodding equipment has done its job—shredding the obstruction blocking your drain pipes or sewer lines into smaller pieces—you can easily clear the loose debris by letting water flow through the pipes.

Thanks to the above cutting-edge plumbing techniques, a drain or sewer pipe clog that may have taken several days to unclog can now be fixed in just a few hours or even minutes, resulting in significant time and cost savings for homeowners. It is important to use a plumbing service, such as P1 Plumbing & Electrical, if you intend to use any of the above plumbing techniques to unclog blocked plumbing lines within your home.