Drain Cleaning vs Hydro Jetting: Which Clears Your Clog?
Both clear a blocked drain, but a snake punches through a single clog while hydro jetting scours the whole pipe wall. Here's how to pick the right one.
Standard drain cleaning uses a motorized cable (a 'snake' or auger) that's fed into the line to break up or hook out a blockage at a specific point. It's fast, inexpensive (often $100–$250), and the right first move for a single slow or stopped drain. Hydro jetting instead sends water through a specialized nozzle at very high pressure — up to 4,000 psi — that scours grease, scale, roots, and sludge off the entire inside of the pipe, restoring it close to full diameter. Jetting costs more (commonly $350–$800) and a plumber will usually run a camera first to confirm the pipe can take the pressure, since it's too aggressive for old or fragile lines. As a rule: snake it for a one-off clog, jet it for recurring blockages, grease-heavy kitchen lines, or root intrusion that keeps coming back.
Ontstoppen vs Hogedruk rioolreiniging
| Feature | Ontstoppen | Hogedruk rioolreiniging |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Choose standard drain cleaning (snaking) for a single, localized clog — one slow sink, tub, or toilet that's backing up for the first time. It's the cheaper, faster, and gentler option, and it's the correct first attempt for most household blockages, especially in older or thinner pipes that high-pressure jetting could damage. If a snake clears the line and the drain stays clear, there's no need to pay for jetting. | Choose hydro jetting when clogs keep coming back, when a whole line is sluggish rather than one fixture, or when the cause is grease buildup, mineral scale, or tree roots that a snake only punches a hole through. Jetting cleans the full pipe wall, so it lasts far longer for these problems and is the standard for main sewer lines and grease-heavy kitchen drains. Have a plumber camera the line first — jetting is best on sound pipe, and the inspection also confirms the root cause so you're not paying to jet a line that actually needs repair. |
Call a ontstoppen when…
Choose standard drain cleaning (snaking) for a single, localized clog — one slow sink, tub, or toilet that's backing up for the first time. It's the cheaper, faster, and gentler option, and it's the correct first attempt for most household blockages, especially in older or thinner pipes that high-pressure jetting could damage. If a snake clears the line and the drain stays clear, there's no need to pay for jetting.
Call a hogedruk rioolreiniging when…
Choose hydro jetting when clogs keep coming back, when a whole line is sluggish rather than one fixture, or when the cause is grease buildup, mineral scale, or tree roots that a snake only punches a hole through. Jetting cleans the full pipe wall, so it lasts far longer for these problems and is the standard for main sewer lines and grease-heavy kitchen drains. Have a plumber camera the line first — jetting is best on sound pipe, and the inspection also confirms the root cause so you're not paying to jet a line that actually needs repair.