If you live in an older home in the San Gabriel Valley, you likely have clay or cast iron sewer pipes. When these pipes clog with tree roots—a constant battle in our leafy neighborhoods—you have two main options: snaking (cabling) or hydro jetting.
But there is a persistent myth that hydro jetting is “too dangerous” for old pipes. Is it true? Or is snaking actually doing more long-term damage?
At Western Rooter, we believe in using the right tool for the job. Here is the honest truth about cleaning vintage plumbing.
The Difference Between Snaking and Jetting
Think of your sewer pipe like an artery.
- Snaking (Cabling): This is like using a wire to poke a hole through a blockage. It restores flow, but it leaves debris (roots, grease, scale) on the walls of the pipe. It’s a temporary relief.
- Hydro Jetting: This is like a pressure washer for your pipes. It uses high-pressure water streams to scour the inner walls of the pipe, cutting roots down to the surface and flushing away years of grease and mineral buildup. It restores the pipe to nearly new capacity.
Is Hydro Jetting Safe for Old Clay or Cast Iron?
The short answer: Yes, IF the pipe is structurally sound.
The caveat: We never jet blindly.
Old clay pipes are durable, but they can be brittle. Cast iron pipes can suffer from “bottom rot” where the bottom of the pipe rusts away. If you blast 4000 PSI of water into a pipe that is already collapsed or cracked, you could cause further damage.
This is why we always perform a sewer camera inspection first.
If the camera shows the pipe is round and intact, hydro jetting is safe and highly recommended. It is the only way to truly remove tree roots that grow into the joints of clay pipes.
When Snaking is the Better Choice
We might recommend snaking if:
1. The pipe is fragile: If our camera sees cracks, holes, or significant deterioration, the vibration of jetting might be too much.
2. Temporary fix: If you plan to replace the line soon and just need to get flow moving for a few days.
3. Specific objects: If a child flushed a toy or a towel, a snake with a retrieval head is better at snagging the object than water pressure.
The Danger of “Just Snaking” Roots
For tree roots, snaking is often a Band-Aid. A snake punches a hole through the root ball, allowing water to flow. But the roots remain, and they grow back faster because they’ve been “pruned.”
Hydro jetting cuts the roots completely out. While they will eventually grow back (unless you repair the pipe), jetting buys you significantly more time—often years instead of months.
Summary
If your pipes are old but intact, hydro jetting is the superior cleaning method. It removes the problem rather than just poking it. But never let anyone jet your old pipes without looking inside them first.
Contact Western Rooter to schedule a video inspection and find out which solution is right for your home.
