Sewer Cleaning: What the Tools Are, and Why It Matters Who's Holding Them
A guide to understanding the difference between drain machines, jetters, and chain knockers
Most people don't think about their sewer line until it backs up into their shower at 10 PM on a Sunday, and I presume that is why you are here. Trust me I get it. When you start your journey to finding a plumbing company you can trust for this issue, you've probably heard some terms that you didn't fully understand as of to what they are.
Here's a breakdown.
The Drain Machine (Snake, Sewer Machine, Sled, Sectional…)
This is the tool most commonly used when a plumber is clearing a drain — it's a long steel cable, spun by a motor, and fed into the pipe to break up whatever's blocking it.
It works by punching through the obstruction, using a tool on the end of the rotating cable: grease, roots, paper buildup, whatever's in the way. Different cutting heads attach to the end depending on the job — a root cutter, a grease auger, a retrieval hook, for example.
Good for:
- Root intrusions in sewer lines
- Soft clogs — wipes, paper
- Older clay tile & cast iron pipes that can't handle high pressure water jetting
- Retrieving objects that should not be in the system… yes it happens
Snaking is more than just running a machine
This is the part most people don't expect to hear: running a drain snake well is a skill and an art.
When a cable is moving through a pipe, it's sending information back through the steel the whole time. An experienced technician can feel the difference between a grease clog and a root mass. He can tell when the cable is wrapping around itself versus pushing through a restriction. He knows when to pull back, when to push, when to change the cutter head — and when to stop entirely because something is wrong with the pipe itself.
That intuition — built from thousands of service calls — is why I never suggest this as a DIY option.
The Hydro Jetter
A jetter uses highly pressurized water — typically 1,500 to 4,000 PSI — pushed through a hose with a specialized nozzle. The rear-facing jets propel the hose forward while the forward jets blast through obstructions.
Unlike a snake, which punches a hole through a clog, a jetter clears the entire pipe circumference. It doesn't just open the drain — it scrubs the walls… ish.
Good for:
- Heavy grease in restaurant and commercial lines
- Sand and sediment removal
- Preventive maintenance before problems start, in intact PVC systems
What it's not: a cure-all. High pressure water against a completely blocked line can cause overflow, flooding any area where the pipes are at lower levels like a floor drain. Fragile, aging pipes may not be candidates for jetting at all, and is why we rarely advise the use of jetters.
The Chain Knocker
A chain knocker is a special cable with a spinning head and light to medium duty steel chains that whip against the pipe walls as it moves. Where a standard jetter uses water pressure alone, the chain knocker adds mechanical impact.
This is the tool for pipe buildup — standard grease, mineral scale, calcified grease, iron tuberculation.
Good for:
- Calcium, lime, and mineral scale deposits
- Grease buildup from kitchens
- Severely degraded pipe capacity that other methods can't restore
- Hard buildup on old cast iron or steel pipe
The Honest Bottom Line
The tool matters. The person holding it matters more.
Knowing which method to use — and when not to use one — is what separates a technician who fixes your problem from one who makes it worse. Diagnosis comes before action. A camera inspection, a conversation about the pipe's age and material, an honest assessment of what's actually going on — that's what good sewer work looks like before any equipment even enters the line.
We serve Tulsa and the surrounding area — Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs — and we bring the same standard to every job. If your sewer is backing up, give us a call. We'll snake it clear or give you options for getting it fixed right the first time, guaranteed.
Licensed • Insured • Bonded • Serving Greater Tulsa
Written by
Matthew Wise
Owner, Wise Plumbing
Serving Tulsa and the surrounding area — Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, and Sand Springs.
Licensed • Insured • Bonded
