To clean a clogged sewer drain you’ve got a choice of using either a mechanical drain cleaner or a sewer jetter attachment for your pressure washer.
A mechanical drain cleaner has these advantages:
- Readily available: mechanical drain cleaners are commonly found at neighborhood tool rental stores.
- Large object removal: in the hands of a skilled user, special attachments for a mechanical drain cleaner can cut through tree roots and remove some types of foreign objects from a drain.
A sewer jetter attachment has these advantages:
- Fast penetration: the back-firing jets on a sewer jetter nozzle pull the jetter line into clogged pipes using the force of water from your pressure washer. In contrast, a mechanical drain cleaner uses an electric motor that twists a cable into the drain by mechanical force.
- Easier handling: you can easily carry a 100-foot sewer jetter attachment in one hand. Compare this to an equivalent mechanical drain cleaner that can weigh over 250 lbs.
- Flexible setup: because a sewer jetter attachment is lightweight and easier to keep clean, it can be suitable for both outdoor and indoor use.
Regardless of which type of system you choose, the process to clean a blocked sewer drain is nearly the same, as described in our article about how to unclog a main sewer drain.
