DRAIN CLEARING VS CLEANING

When you have a clogged drain and you are calling or clicking around online you may not notice the difference between drain cleaning and drain clearing services that are being advertised. What you may notice is that plumbing companies tend to highlight big discounts and lower pricing in their ads. There is a reason why. More often than not, plumbers in the Minneapolis area feature drain clearing, not drain cleaning services. The two are not the same and you should know the difference, as they are not equal! We want you understand the difference so you know exactly what you are paying for and get the drain service that’s right for your home or business. And, ultimately, save you more money in the long run.

Drain Clearing

Most plumbers offer drain clearing services, not drain cleaning. The difference is that the clog is dislodged, but not removed. The drain is clear and water flow is restored for now, but the drain is not clean of the clog and it may reform, costing you more money in the long run.

To clear a drain, a plumbing snake is used. A plumbing snake is a flexible metal cable with a small auger on the end. The plumbing snake is inserted directly into the clogged drain and breaks up the blockage as the auger moves through the drain, physically breaking up the blockage as it goes deeper down the drain.

Once the clog is broken up, your drain appears to be fixed but the clog particles remain in your pipes. This could pose a potential issue, as the material that originally caused the clog is still there and could reform to cause more problems in the future.

Typically, we do not recommend this unclogging method. There are of course exceptions, one being the age of your plumbing. In historic and older buildings with fragile plumbing systems the least invasive methods must be used in order to avoid damage. In those cases, our plumbers may attempt to clear your pipes using a drain snake. It is far more common that we are going to recommend drain cleaning.

Drain Cleaning

Drain cleaning, using our proven techniques with the correct size auger or jetting technique fully removes the clog, unlike some other companies that simply poke a hole in the clog, leaving it susceptible issues in the short term and possible upcharge fees.

With our drain cleaning technique, years of buildup and partially cleared clogs that lurk in your plumbing are safely and completely removed out of your pipes, restoring them to a like new condition. This is the most effective method for unclogging drains and preventing clogs in the future.

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