3 Tools Used by Plumbers for Drain Cleaning

When your drains develop a stubborn clog and require cleaning, it’s tempting to buy an over-the-counter chemical drain cleaner or a drain snake from the local hardware store. In many instances, this won’t provide a long-term solution, and may even harm your drains. Our professional Denver plumbers and drain cleaners can handle clogs far more effectively, safer for your plumbing system, and with greater long-term results than over-the-counter solutions.

This success comes from professional tools, the training and experience they’ve earned, and the ability to treat the specific clog with a tailored solution. Professionals use tools that are of higher quality than the average homeowner can pick up for themselves.

Here’s a quick look at three of the most common tools a professional drain cleaner uses, and why they are selected to solve specific issues.

1) Video Pipe Inspection

Video cameras are now smaller than your fingernail, which allows drain cleaners to send them down the pipes on a cable and get an unprecedented look at the exact nature of the clog.

When drain clogs tend to be a bit more resilient than expected, the next step is typically to resort to video pipe inspection. Video cameras are now smaller than your fingernail, which allows plumbers to send them down the pipes on a cable and get an unprecedented look at the exact nature of the clog, without having to dig up the pipe.

2) Hydro-Jetting

Hydro jetting is a method for blasting waste buildup out of the pipe, using a high-pressure stream of water. This method is typically used for more stubborn clogs, though it is often used as a preventive measure, as well.

A length of hose is fitted over the affected drain, which fires powerful pulses of water down the pipe to break the clog up. The system uses an omnidirectional sprayer head to reach all areas of the pipe, making it ideal for solving for clogs before they start. The process is effective, and yet also natural and environmentally-friendly.

3) Mechanical Snakes

The first response to a need for drain cleaning is typically to use a drain snake. This is a long cord with an auger on the end of it. Most clogs are pretty easily removed by drilling through them with a drain snake, but hardware store snakes tend to apply the same solution to every clog. If the snake is unable to deal with the clog, though, something a bit more powerful might be called for, like a mechanical snake.

Mechanical snakes employed by professionals not only use much more power to the clog, but they often have rotating heads, allowing the drain cleaner to fit the specific head to the specific nature of the clog. It makes for a much more thorough drain-cleaning operation.

For quality drain cleaning in Denver, CO or the surrounding area, call Bell Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical today!