Drain Cleaning with a Pressure Washer

Most people tend to forget about their drains until it is too late and becomes an issue. Once a blocked drain occurs it can be quite a costly expedition depending on the work involved in removing the blockage from the drain. It's also not a pleasant experience to not have functioning facilities.

Is drain cleaning a good idea?

The concept of using a pressure washer to clean out your drain isn't a new one. Plumbers have been utilising this idea for years. It can be beneficial for you to use a pressure washer to clean your drains as it will remove any blockages or potential buildups within the pipes thus minimizing the potential of the drain becoming blocked.

What can happen?

If you happen to live in an older-style home, chances are that your pipes are also old. The problem with older houses is that the piping they used was different to today's standards and thus can be frail and not suitable for the high pressure that a pressure washer produces as you feed it down your pipe. This can cause unwanted damage to your drain pipes and can end up being a costly venture. If you are unsure of what type of pipes your house currently has you can always have a plumbing inspection carried out.

Alternatively, if you know that your pipes are old and wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure from cleaning with a pressure washer you can also look into having your pipes relined to ensure stability and longevity for the drainage pipes on the property.

Pressure Washer vs Snake / Auger

A plumbing snake or auger is a long metal tube with a cable inside that has blades attached at one end and a crank at the other. The idea is that you feed the blade side down into your drain and any blockage it hits will be smashed to pieces. The downside to this is that it can leave debris within the pipe which can then lead to blockages later on.

A pressure washer can have an attachment that is like a long hose that attaches to the end of your pressure washer and extends the nozzle. This also allows it to be sent down into the drain and due to the water pressure pushing forward and angled backwards this breaks down any blockages within the pipe and also washes away the debris whilst washing the inner walls of the pipe too.

Is there a particular pressure washer?

Not really as attachments are made to fit a variety of different styles, types, makes and models of pressure washers so you are bound to be able to find one that fits.

Is it better to do it myself or get a drain professional?

Whenever it comes to anything to do with plumbing it is always strongly advised to get a professional plumber in to carry out the work. This is due to insurance as well as knowledge and that all work carried out by a licenced plumber is usually guaranteed fault free for a period of time.

If you are adamant that you want to clean your pipes yourself with a pressure washer then it would be in your best interests to at least have a licenced plumber come out to conduct a plumbing inspection. This won't guarantee any work carried out by you but will minimize potential damages done if your pipes were to be in bad shape.

Get help from an expert drain plumber

Even though cleaning your drains with a pressure washer sounds easy you need to consider that for a long time, this procedure was only carried out by trained plumbing professionals who have learnt the techniques involved in producing quality results. If in doubt our advice would be to get a professional. The cost to have it done professionally will be cheaper than having to replace your pipes, walls, or floors due to damage from the high-pressure hose. Not to mention the potential flooding and damaging personal effects.