Hydro jetting is a highly effective drain cleaning technique that can solve a wide range of sewer line problems. It’s especially helpful when clogged drains are caused by heavy mineral or scale buildup or invasive tree roots.
It’s also a good choice when your pipes are old and in need of more extensive repair. However, you should always have a camera inspection done before having this service performed.
The sewer line is the heart of your plumbing system, so if it gets clogged, the problem will affect your entire home. While store-bought drain cleaners may offer temporary relief, you need to call a professional as soon as you spot any signs of a clogged line.
Luckily, there’s a powerful solution to stubborn and persistent blockages: hydro jetting. This method uses high-pressure water to blast through clogs and clean pipes, leaving them looking like new.
First, the plumber will access your pipes via a cleanout. Then, they’ll use a camera to locate the clogged line and determine its severity. This allows them to target the correct nozzle for the job and ensure they’re using the right amount of pressure.
Once they’ve targeted the clog location, the plumber will turn on the machine and start shooting jets of water at high-pressure. This breaks apart and dissolves clogs, tree roots, grease and other debris and flushes it away from the pipes. The high-pressure water scours the walls of the pipe, too, removing any scale and mineral buildup.
If the clog is caused by a collapsed section of pipe, the plumber can cut through it with a nozzle equipped with cutting blades. Once the clog is gone, they can flush out the remaining debris and test the line’s functionality.
Another common cause of clogged sewer lines is intrusive tree roots. These can cause severe blockages and lead to costly repairs, so it’s important to get them removed as quickly as possible.
While a drain auger can cut through and remove most tree roots, hydro jetting is much more effective. The water jets can cut through any sized roots and even break up large tree trunks, so the plumber won’t have to risk getting cut while digging them out of the line.
The plumber can also use the water to wash away any sludge and fat in the pipes. This will help keep your pipes in better condition and reduce the risk of future clogs and damage. It’s worth noting, however, that hydro jetting will not work on a clog caused by solid waste that has been flushed down the toilet. This includes diapers, feminine hygiene products, wet wipes, cotton pads and other items that should not be flushed down the drain.
Powerful Jets
If your home’s drain lines experience frequent clogs or backups, even after professional snaking, it’s a sign that you need a complete, high-powered pipe cleaning. And the best way to do that is with hydro jetting. This process involves feeding a long hose with a specialized nozzle to the point of the problem. Then, a plumber turns on the machine and blasts a jet of water that slices right through the blockage like a knife through butter.
Hydro jetting can also remove tree roots that have grown into the sewer lateral. These thirsty flora are drawn to the waste and wastewater they see flowing through your pipes, and over time can latch onto the line and cause clogs and blockages. But with the power of a hydro jetting machine, plumbing professionals can slice through even the thickest roots and pull them out without having to dig or cut into your pipe.
Another huge benefit of hydro jetting is that it completely cleans the insides of your pipes. When grease and scum cling to the insides of your drain and sewer lines, they can trap other food scraps, paper products and waste that go down the line. This creates a sticky coating that can prevent even toilet paper from making it all the way to the toilet, and ultimately leads to clogs. Hydro jetting can get rid of this greasy coating and clean the interiors of your pipes so that they can work normally again.
Finally, hydro jetting can be used on a wide range of pipe materials. It’s perfectly safe for PVC and other plastic pipes, as well as metal pipes made of steel or copper. And it’s a good option for older clay or cast iron pipes, as long as they are in good condition and not cracked or damaged. The key is to always have a professional perform a camera inspection before you consider hydro jetting for your home’s pipes.
If you’re experiencing signs of a blocked sewer line like frequent clogs or backups, slow drainage or foul smells from your home’s drains, contact us today to schedule a hydro jetting service. Our experienced plumbing professionals can blast away any buildup of fat, hair, debris or tree roots and get your sewer lines back to normal with little disruption to your home.
No Damage to Pipes
Unlike other drain cleaning methods that often involve digging or cutting, hydro jetting is completely safe for your pipes. Plumbers use a camera to inspect the condition of your sewer line before attacking it with water pressure. This helps them identify the nature of the clog, its location and how severe it is. They then adjust the nozzle’s position to focus on the problem area without damaging other parts of your plumbing system.
Hydro jetting is especially effective on stubborn fats, oils and grease that coat the insides of your drain pipes. This sticky coating is a major cause of clogs because it prevents food scraps, paper products and toilet paper from passing through your plumbing system. It can also trap other debris and blockages, making them difficult to remove even with a professional sewer snake. A full hydro jetting clean can dissolve this layer, preventing future clogs and keeping your home’s wastewater flowing freely.
While modern PVC, ABS and copper pipes are designed to withstand high-pressure water, older clay, cast iron and Orangeburg pipes can suffer damage when the water pressure is too high or when the wrong type of nozzle is used. To avoid this, a pre-jet video inspection will confirm your pipe’s material and guide PSI control and nozzle choice to protect vulnerable sections.
Regardless of your pipe’s age, hydro jetting can remove tough blockages that traditional drain cleaners cannot. This includes root intrusions. Invasive tree roots are attracted to waste and sewage, leading them to infiltrate your plumbing and sewer lines. Eventually, they can latch onto and choke out your pipes, leading to costly and hazardous repairs. With a hydro jet, plumbers can quickly cut through the invading roots and wash them away.
If you’re experiencing frequent clogs, slow drainage or foul odors from your drains and sewer lines, it may be time for a thorough, comprehensive clean. Hydro jetting is an efficient, economical and environmentally conscious option for resolving these issues. It’s safer for your family, pets, your property and the environment than chemical drain cleaners and requires no digging to access your plumbing and sewer lines.
Safety
During the Hydro Jetting Sewer Lines process, professional plumbers take a number of precautions to ensure that the high-pressure water blast doesn’t cause damage. They start with an inspection of the clogged drain or sewer line to see what kind of debris is blocking the line. Then, the plumber inserts a camera into the pipe to get a real-time view of what is actually inside your pipes. This gives them a better understanding of how to approach the job and what pressure settings to use.
Once the plumber knows what kind of blockage they are facing, they’ll set up the equipment to do the job. This includes a large tank, motor-driven pump, and specialized high-pressure nozzles. The nozzles are designed to be propelled forward by the water pressure and maintain their momentum when they hit the clog. This allows the jet to bore into and dismantle stubborn obstructions without damaging the pipe walls.
The professional plumber will also test the hoses and nozzles to make sure they are safe to operate. They will also have a backup plan in case of any problems during the jetting process. These back-up plans include resetting the system, depressurizing it before removing the nozzles, and ensuring that the nozzles are inserted far enough into the pipe so that any backward-facing jets don’t pose a safety threat.
One of the biggest advantages of hydro jetting is that it can be used on a variety of pipe materials, including older cast iron, clay, and Orangeburg pipes. Homeowners often rely on these older pipes to safely carry waste from their homes to the municipal sewer line, but unfortunately, these pipes are susceptible to blockages that can lead to messy basements and frustrating drains.
Homeowners can do their part to help prevent sewer line clogs by following plumbing best practices for flushing their pipes, but even the most careful homeowners can encounter a problem now and then. Many times, the culprit is invasive tree roots that grow toward the home sewer lines in search of a water source. Once these roots infiltrate the home’s sewer lateral, they latch onto wastewater and other materials that flow through the pipe, leading to a clog.