Drain Cleaning vs. Snake vs. Rooter
Drain cleaning services tools have a variety of names: You’ve probably heard of rooter, plumber snakes, and cables. All these are names for the same tools. They all use a coiled metal flexible, rotating cable with a cutting tool at the tip. It slithers its way down your drain (like a snake) until it gets to the source of the clog. It then cuts through the obstruction until the water is flowing again. Keep in mind there are limits to how much it cut through.
So why is one Drain Cleaning Service a better choice than another?
Though the tools are basically the same, your experience as a customer can vary greatly depending on a few factors:
- Licensed plumber vs. “trainee/technician”
- Equipment technology and selection
- Parts in stock to solve your problem in a single visit
Is the rooter plumber really a plumber?
Clearing a drain is a fairly simple matter… until it is not. A licensed plumber, with years of practical experience knows how to identify bigger issues that an apprentice or trainee will miss. Many large franchises keep labor costs down by offering on-the-job training to plumbing apprentices. They are called “Technicians”. After enough training to know how to use the equipment, they show up, maybe clear your drain and leave. If your clog was related to a bigger problem, they probably wouldn’t know that and you’d be facing another clog sooner than you’d like.
My clients prefer to avoid recurring clogs by solving the root cause of the problem. Which is often actually roots.
You can read about my experience below.
Drain Cleaning Plumber tools Snake, Rooter, cable
The rotating snake was developed in 1933 by Samuel Blanc who eventually formed the company that popularized the term “rooter”. Their website states that the technology hasn’t changed much since then.
I would certainly hope that their technology has changed since 1933. Mine sure has!
I bring some pretty sophisticated technology when I arrive at your door. I have a wide variety of tools in my arsenal. Each uniquely suited to certain pipe sizes and types. I also have a sophisticated fiber-optic plumbing camera system that includes a wireless sonde that transmits the exact location of any obstruction to the ground from below to a locating wand.
Most drain cleaning services won’t pack this kind of equipment because it is too expensive to trust to their trainee/technicians. So they won’t be able to diagnose and fix the problem and the clog will recur. You can see a great example of why that occurs in this plumbing camera video.
My Plumbing Warehouse on Wheels
Not only do I have the essential tools to properly diagnose your plumbing problems, I also carry enough of the most common parts to fix about 90% of problems on the spot. My customers appreciate the difference since many of their previous plumbers had to make a run to the plumbing supply house – on the clock.
Why I am your premier drain cleaning plumber
Quite simply, people who hire me to clean their drains are interested in minimizing the chances of having the problem recur. The big franchises will send their trainee/technicians or they will send more experienced technicians who earn commissions for upselling more expensive services.
I am Brian Cooke, I started Marin Plumbing in 1991 and was a plumber for several years before that. When you call Marin Plumbing you will always get me. That’s how I can guarantee top levels of service. There aren’t a lot of plumbers with over 33 years of experience. I offer the highest professional standards in terms of reliability, speed, cleanliness (both personal appearance and equipment), as well as a reputation for clear and thorough communication about your plumbing issues and the range of options for fixing them.
My Promise
As a plumber in Marin County, emergency plumbing situations are not uncommon. We have many older homes and families and that can add up to problems. While a plumbing emergency is never pleasant, any plumber can usually fix the immediate problem. I always go to the extra step of trying to figure out if there is a deeper problem that causes another plumber emergency call in the future. If you have chosen me to be your plumber, you should expect the benefit of my expertise to not only fix the emergency but also communicate any underlying causes that may be at play.
So if you have a clog in need of a snake call or text me at 415-883-1243 and I’ll come to your door with my arsenal of (clean) tools and my expertise.