Hydro Jetting vs. Augering: What’s the Best Drain Cleaning Method for Saskatoon Homes?

Your Guide to Drain Cleaning in Saskatoon Homes

When you’re dealing with a stubborn clog, slow drains, or recurring backups, two professional tools are typically used to clear the line: hydro jetting and augering (also called snaking). While both methods are effective, they solve very different types of problems, and choosing the wrong tool can lead to incomplete cleaning or repeat blockages.

At Drainrite Sewer & Drain Cleaning Co., we inspect every drainage issue and choose the right method based on the line material, blockage type, severity, and condition of the plumbing. This guide breaks down both cleaning methods, explains the pros and cons, and helps you understand what your home may need.

Whether you’re searching for hydro jetting Saskatoon or drain auger Saskatoon, here’s everything you should know before booking your drain cleaning appointment.

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What Is Augering (Snaking)?

Augering is the traditional and most widely used form of mechanical drain cleaning. A drain auger is a flexible steel cable with a cutting or boring head that rotates as it feeds into the drain line. The auger breaks clogs apart, hooks debris, and clears a path through the blockage.

When Augering Works Best

Augering is ideal for:

• Hair clogs in bathroom drains

• Soap scum buildup

• Minor grease blockages in kitchen drains

• Basic toilet clogs

• Removing foreign objects

• Clearing localized blockages near the fixture

• First-time clogs without a history of sewer issues

Augering is often the first step because it’s fast, cost-effective, and solves the majority of common household blockages.

Pros of Augering

• Fast and affordable

• Effective for simple or shallow clogs

• Safe for most household drain lines

• Restores flow quickly

• Minimal setup time

Limitations of Augering

While effective, augering has boundaries:

• It doesn’t clean pipe walls; it only punches a hole through the clog

• It doesn’t remove grease buildup entirely

• Not effective against heavy scale in cast iron pipes

• Cannot clear large root intrusions

• May not prevent repeat clogs

For serious, long-term, or structural issues, augering may only provide temporary relief.

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What Is Hydro Jetting?

Hydro jetting uses a high-pressure stream of water — often between 1,500 and 4,000 PSI — to flush the drain or sewer line clean. The jetter blasts away debris, sludge, grease, scale, and even small roots, restoring the pipe to near original diameter.

This is a deep-cleaning method and is especially effective for severe or recurring issues.

When Hydro Jetting Works Best

Hydro jetting is ideal for:

• Heavy grease buildup in kitchen lines

• Commercial lines in restaurants or rental properties

• Cast iron scale removal

• Long-term recurring drain problems

• Main sewer line backups

• Clearing small tree roots

• Sewer lines with sludge or sediment buildup

• Homes with old, rough interior pipe surfaces

In Saskatoon, many older homes have cast iron main lines, which develop thick scale that snaking cannot remove. Hydro jetting cuts this scale off the pipe walls, drastically improving flow and preventing future blockages.

Pros of Hydro Jetting

• Cleans the entire pipe, not just the blockage

• Removes grease, scale, and sludge fully

• Restores proper flow and diameter

• Prevents future clogs better than augering

• Effective for recurring issues and heavy buildup

• Environmentally friendly — uses only water

Limitations of Hydro Jetting

Hydro jetting is powerful, so it must be used appropriately:

• Not recommended for cracked or severely damaged pipes

• Requires a skilled technician

• Typically more expensive than augering

• Needs proper access to the line

• Not necessary for minor, simple clogs

Before jetting, Drainrite often performs a DrainSight™ camera inspection to confirm the line’s condition.

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Hydro Jetting vs. Augering: Side-by-Side Comparison

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Which Method Does Drainrite Recommend?

Our approach is simple:
Use the safest, most effective method for the specific problem.

We recommend augering when:

• The clog is isolated to one fixture

• Hair or soap is the likely cause

• The blockage is shallow

• The drain has no history of issues

• You want a fast, affordable solution

In these cases, augering solves the problem quickly and cost-effectively.

We recommend hydro jetting when:

• You have recurring sewer backups

• Kitchen lines repeatedly clog with grease

• The home has old cast iron piping

• The blockage is deep in the sewer line

• Scale buildup is evident

• There’s root infiltration

• The goal is long-term maintenance

Hydro jetting restores the pipe to near-original condition, making it ideal for tough or repeat problems.

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How Drainrite Determines the Right Tool

Before touching any equipment, our technicians evaluate:

• Type of fixture affected

• Severity of the blockage

• Age and condition of piping

• Material of the drain line (PVC, ABS, cast iron, clay)

• Whether other fixtures are also affected

• History of previous clogs

• Root intrusion or scale detected by camera

This ensures the method chosen is safe, effective, and long-lasting.

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Why Hydro Jetting Is Growing in Popularity in Saskatoon

Grease buildup and cast iron scale are two of the most common causes of drain issues in Saskatoon homes — and hydro jetting solves both problems far more effectively than a drain auger.

Homeowners prefer hydro jetting because:

• It prevents repeat blockages

• It improves drainage speed

• It removes foul odours caused by sludge

• It makes future maintenance easier

• It’s ideal for older homes found throughout Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods

For restaurants, rental properties, and high-use drains, jetting is often the only reliable long-term solution.

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Which Should You Choose for Your Drain?

Here’s a simple rule of thumb:

If your problem is simple → Augering

(hair, soap, small clogs, fixture-specific issues)

If your problem is recurring, severe, or sewer-related → Hydro Jetting

(grease, scale, roots, multiple fixtures, backups)

If you’re unsure, Drainrite technicians can diagnose the issue and recommend the safest and most cost-effective solution.

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Fast, Honest Drain Cleaning in Saskatoon

At Drainrite Sewer & Drain Cleaning Co., we believe in:

• Upfront pricing

• Fast arrival times

• Honest recommendations

• Fixing the real problem, not just the symptom

Whether you need hydro jetting in Saskatoon or simple drain auger service, we make sure your drains are cleared properly the first time.

📞 306-933-2079
💧 Drainrite — We Clear the Way!