By the All Systems Pros service team · Updated July 20, 2026
What each method actually does
A mechanical snake (auger) drives a rotating cable with a cutting head through the blockage — fast, economical, and effective on everyday clogs: hair, food debris, soap scum, small objects, and moderate root intrusion.
Hydro jetting scours the pipe with focused water streams up to 4,000 PSI. It doesn't just open a channel — it strips hardened grease, scale, and mineral buildup off the pipe walls and restores the line's full diameter.
When snaking is the honest answer
For a one-off clog in an otherwise healthy line, snaking is usually all you need — and recommending jetting there would be overselling. It's quicker, cheaper, and gentler on fragile older pipes that a camera shows to be compromised.
When jetting earns its price
Jetting is the better investment when the camera shows:
- Grease-heavy lines — kitchens, and especially restaurant drains
- Recurring clogs in the same line (the snake keeps opening a channel through buildup that immediately re-catches debris)
- Scale and mineral deposits narrowing the pipe
- Root intrusion that needs cutting and flushing, ahead of a lining decision
The deciding vote: the camera
The method should be chosen by evidence, not by whichever service is more expensive. Every All Systems Pros drain call can include a camera look at the line — you see what we see, the options are explained plainly, and the price is approved before any equipment starts. That's the transparent-pricing standard the company was founded on.
About the author
Written and reviewed by the All Systems Pros service team — licensed plumbers holding Rheem ProPartner, A. O. Smith, and Raypak factory certifications, with 30+ years of combined service experience, based in Monrovia, CA.
