Done uses several proven methods to clear clogged drains, and the right approach depends on where the clog is, what caused it, and how severe the blockage has become. For most household drain clogs, professional drain snaking resolves the problem in a single visit. For stubborn blockages, grease buildup, or problems deep in the sewer line, hydro jetting or camera inspection may be the next step. Done’s technicians diagnose before they recommend — so you’re not paying for a heavy-duty solution when a standard clearing will do.

Drain Snaking (Cable Augering)

A drain snake — also called a cable auger — is a flexible metal cable with a cutting head that rotates as it moves through the pipe. It breaks apart or hooks the obstruction and either pulls it out or pushes it through. This is the go-to method for most residential clogs: hair in a bathroom drain, a soap-and-debris buildup in a tub, or a partial blockage in a kitchen line. It’s fast, effective, and doesn’t require opening walls or excavating anything. Most single-drain clogs are resolved with a snake in under an hour.

Hydro Jetting

Hydro jetting uses high-pressure water — typically 3,000 to 4,000 PSI — pushed through a specialized nozzle to scour the interior walls of a pipe. Where a snake breaks through a clog, hydro jetting removes it entirely, along with grease coating, mineral scale, and the fine debris that clings to pipe walls over time. It’s the most thorough drain cleaning method available and is particularly effective for:

  • Kitchen drain lines coated with years of grease buildup
  • Main sewer lines with recurring clogs
  • Lines where tree roots have been cut but residue remains
  • Older pipes with significant scale accumulation
  • Commercial-grade problems in residential settings

Denver’s hard water — which carries a high mineral load from the Rocky Mountain watershed — contributes to scale buildup inside pipes over time, making hydro jetting especially useful for older Front Range homes.

Video Camera Inspection

When a clog is recurring, when a drain is moving slowly despite repeated clearing, or when there’s a reason to suspect a structural issue in the sewer line, Done uses a camera to look inside the pipe. A flexible cable with a high-resolution camera head feeds through the drain and transmits live video, letting our technicians see exactly what’s happening: a grease blockage, a root intrusion, a pipe that has offset or cracked due to soil movement. Denver’s expansive clay soils are notorious for shifting with moisture changes, and that movement can crack or misalign older clay or cast-iron sewer pipes over time.

Camera inspection removes the guesswork. Instead of repeated service calls that treat symptoms, you see the actual cause — and you can make an informed decision about whether a clearing will solve it or whether a repair is the right call.

Drain Cleaning vs. Drain Repair

Sometimes what looks like a persistent clog is actually a structural problem: a pipe that’s collapsed, cracked, or been infiltrated by tree roots to the point that clearing alone won’t keep it open. In those cases, Done offers pipe lining and trenchless repair options through our sewer services team. Pipe lining — also called cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) — rehabilitates a damaged pipe from the inside without digging up your yard, which is a significant advantage for Denver homeowners with mature trees or finished landscaping above the sewer line.

When to Call Done Instead of Reaching for a Store-Brand Product

Liquid drain cleaners from a hardware store can dissolve some organic material, but they’re not effective against solid clogs, grease accumulation, or anything structural. Repeated use of caustic chemical cleaners can also degrade older pipes. If a plunger and a single chemical treatment haven’t cleared the drain, it’s time to call a pro. A slow drain that keeps coming back after clearing is almost always a sign of a bigger issue — and catching it early with a camera inspection is far less expensive than dealing with a sewer backup later.

Visit our drain cleaning page to learn more, or schedule service with Done and let us diagnose the clog the right way.