What's Hydro Jetting—and Why It Might Be the Drain Solution You Need
Don't Just Clear That Clog—Eliminate It!
We’ve all been there—standing in an inch of water during your morning shower or watching your kitchen sink refuse to drain after dinner cleanup.
It’s gross. It’s annoying. And it’s the last thing you need.
Plus, we hate to break it to you, but drain clogs are more than just gross and annoying—they actually disrupt your home’s functionality and can lead to bigger problems if left unaddressed.
While you might be familiar with traditional drain snaking, hydro jetting is a more powerful solution that provides longer-lasting results. Let’s dive into what makes this service different and why it might be the perfect solution for your stubborn drain issues in the Twin Cities.
Do You Need Professional Drain Help, or Will DIY Do the Job?
Dealing with a slow or clogged drain? Maybe it’s new, or maybe it has been happening for so long that you’ve (sigh!) gotten used to it. Either way, we want you to know that you have several options. Each option has a different level of effectiveness depending on the severity of the problem, so let’s see what’s right for you.
- Manual Drain Snake: This DIY method involves a flexible coil that you can purchase at any hardware store. It works well for simple clogs near the drain opening, like hair buildup in shower drains or food debris in kitchen sinks. While affordable and accessible, manual snakes only address surface-level problems.
- Professional Drain Snaking: When DIY methods don’t quite cut it, professional drain snaking can pack a much more powerful punch. Our technicians use specialized equipment to reach deeper into your pipes, breaking through stubborn blockages that store-bought tools can’t touch. However, any form of “snaking” typically just pokes a hole through the clog rather than removing it entirely. Think of it as clearing a pathway through the debris rather than removing it completely: convenient, but maybe not the ideal long-term solution, especially for chronic problems.
- Professional Rooter Service: Named for its original purpose of cutting through tree root intrusions, rooter services use a mechanized rotating blade to slice through serious blockages. This method is particularly effective for cutting through roots that have infiltrated your main sewer line pipes.
- Professional Hydro Jetting: Hydro jetting uses highly pressurized water to blast away years of buildup inside your pipes– either on interior branch lines like sinks, showers, and toilets, or the main sewer line leading from your house to the city connection. Unlike snaking, which focuses on creating a passage through the clog, hydro jetting thoroughly cleans your entire pipe system. That means removing grease, mineral deposits, and other debris that clings to pipe walls.
Why Does Complete Cleaning Matter? What You Should Know About Hydro Jetting Vs. Traditional Drain Clearing Methods
So, what makes hydro jetting stand out from traditional drain-clearing methods? At the end of the day, it’s really about the results you can expect.
For many Twin Cities homeowners, traditional drain snaking is popular and can have a notable effect. For traditional drain snaking, technicians create a hole through the blockage to restore water flow. This provides immediate relief and can ensure that you, your family, and your guests aren’t ankle-deep in the clog.
However, it’s not a long-term solution, especially if the clog problem is chronic. Traditional drain snaking leaves residue on your pipe walls that can quickly accumulate and cause the clog to return—sometimes within weeks or months.
Hydro jetting, on the other hand, uses the power of water to:
- Thoroughly clean the entire pipe: The high-pressure water stream reaches every surface inside your pipes, not just the central blockage.
- Remove stubborn buildup: Grease, soap scum, mineral deposits, and even slight root infiltrations are thoroughly washed away.
- Provide longer-lasting results: By eliminating all debris, your pipes stay cleaner for much longer, often extending to years rather than months.
- Prevent future clogs: Clean pipes are less likely to accumulate new buildup quickly.
Think of the difference this way: drain snaking is like poking a hole through a clogged straw, while hydro jetting is like running the straw through a dishwasher. One creates a temporary passage, while the other restores the pipe to a like-new condition.
Why Do Drains Clog? Here’s How to Understand the Root Causes.
Fixing problems is more exciting, but we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t help you understand what causes clogged drains in the first place.
- Kitchen Drains: “Out of sight, out of mind” does not apply to drains. Cooking oils, food particles, and grease are the primary culprits. When hot grease is poured down drains, it cools and solidifies along pipe walls, gradually narrowing the passage until water can barely flow through.
- Bathroom Drains: Hair, soap scum, makeup, toothpaste, and personal care products combine to create stubborn blockages that build up over time. In the Twin Cities, our water contains minerals that can accelerate this buildup.
- Laundry Drains: Lint, fabric fibers, and laundry detergent residue can accumulate in these drains, especially in older homes with aging pipe systems.
- Outdoor Factors: Mature tree roots seeking water sources often infiltrate underground pipes through tiny cracks or joints. These roots can grow tremendously inside pipes, causing severe blockages that only professional services can address.
- Aging Infrastructure: Many beloved Twin Cities neighborhoods feature older homes with original plumbing that may have developed rough surfaces inside pipes where debris easily clings. Old architecture is great, but often needs a little pick-me-up to stay functional for today’s needs and future generations.
Understanding these causes helps determine whether hydro jetting is your ideal solution. For example, if your home experiences frequent clogs despite regular snaking, you likely have significant buildup along your pipe walls that only hydro jetting can effectively remove.
Keeping Your Drains Flowing Freely
Here are a few things you can do to prevent drain clogs:
- Monthly Maintenance: Pour boiling water down drains once a month to help dissolve developing grease and soap buildup.
- Enzyme-Based Cleaners: For preventative maintenance, use biological drain treatments (like Bio-Clean) monthly that contain beneficial bacteria and enzymes that naturally break down organic matter.
- Drain Strainers: Install quality drain screens in showers, tubs, and sinks to catch hair and large food particles before they enter your plumbing.
Mindful Disposal: Never pour cooking oils, coffee grounds, or starchy foods down kitchen drains. (We know it’s tempting. But it’s not worth it!)
When to Choose Hydro Jetting for Your Twin Cities Home
DIY preventive maintenance is fantastic, but it’s not a foolproof strategy. We’ve found that hydro jetting is particularly beneficial in these situations:
- Recurring clogs: If you’re calling for drain service more than once a year.
- Multiple slow drains: When several fixtures in your home drain slowly, it indicates a systemic problem.
- Older homes: Especially those with original plumbing in established Twin Cities neighborhoods.
- Foul odors: Persistent sewer smells that standard drain cleaning hasn’t resolved.
- Preventive maintenance: For homes with large families where drains see heavy use.
For most Minnesota homeowners, scheduling hydro jetting service every 18-24 months provides excellent professional-caliber preventive maintenance, especially for homes surrounded by mature trees or those with a history of drain issues.
Why Choose Bonfe for Hydro Jetting in the Twin Cities
We get it—investing in a professional service for your home is a big decision, especially if you’re used to doing things on your own.
That’s why we make it as easy as possible to ensure you know you’ve made the right decision. Working with a trusted local company makes all the difference. Here’s why Twin Cities homeowners have trusted Bonfe for over 30 years:
- Local Expertise: Located in South St. Paul, we’ve proudly served the greater Twin Cities metro since 1993. We’re bona fide locals, so we understand Minnesota’s unique plumbing challenges, from soil conditions to infrastructure.
- Stellar Reputation: We proudly maintain an A+ rating from the BBB and a 4.8-star rating from over 9,800 Google reviews.
- 24/7/365 Availability: Drain emergencies don’t wait for business hours, and neither do we. Our team is ready to help any time, day or night.
Let our expert technicians help you determine if hydro jetting is right for your home and say goodbye to recurring drain problems for good!
See Our Other Service Offers
