With slow drains and recurring clogs, immense frustration often ensues. Not only can a clogged drain introduce inconveniences to your lifestyle such as showering in standing water, but also safety concerns in the case of a sewer backup.
If you experience recurrent tough clogs that do’t seem to get resolved, chances are, you’ve taken to the internet in search of a viable solution. If your main sewer or drain line is where the plumbing problem is located, high pressure water jetting is likely your best option. So what is hydro jetting?
Being informed about your plumbing system and the relevant service options to fix your problem is the best advantage you have when it comes time to talk to a professional plumber.
Many people are unfamiliar with the name “hydro jet”, so our goal is to bring you up to speed. Buckle up as we delve into everything you need to know about sewer jetting, which is also called hydro jet cleaning. After all, knowledge is power when it comes to your plumbing issue.
What Is Hydro Jetting?
Hydro jetting encompasses a process that relies on using pressurized water to clear pipes. Experts push the high-pressure water through your pipes using a special hydro jetting machine.
This process rids the interior of the pipe from built-up debris that has triggered a clog or slower flow. In cases of grease buildup, hot water is often used to additional effectiveness in resolving the drain clog.
Before the hydrojetting, most drain cleaning services would rely on rodding that involved using a tool such as an auger to pierce the debris in a bid to open up the water flow. This is still a common method, and also works for smaller clogs.
Hydro jetting is considerably more efficient in clearing the build-up and reducing the chance of recurring clogs. Once a qualified plumber pinpoints the ideal problem area to pump the water, they’ll insert a hose that’s tied to a large water tank or water line. Depending on your clog’s nature and severity, the plumber will select a pressure level to use.
Hydro jetting can shoot a maximum of 20 gallons of water per minute (5000 psi) through your sewer pipes. With most of the piping angling downward from your home into the sewer line, the dislodged material causing the clogging will flow down into the sewer system.
Hydro jetting can take care of a broad range of materials. It will also clear the build-up of hair, tree roots, minerals, food, grease, and soap. Afterwards, the pipe wall can be so clean it looks brand new.
Other alternatives to hydro jet drain cleaning include using tools such as plumbing snakes and augers. These still work on minor problems, but these are not as effective as hydro jetting. Additionally, they sometimes only temporarily release the pipe blockage as opposed to curbing blockages in the future. They can also push the waste deeper into the plumbing lines, making a bad situation worse.
When Hydro Jetting Is Required?
The hydro jetting process is required when the main line system is impaired with severe, recurrent clogs. The insides of pipes usually scale up with grease or mineral build-up, and also debris. These cause slow draining and eventually lead to clogging.
When this problem gets beyond the reach of many local drain cleaning services, it can even trigger sewer backups. If the plumbing system blocks up entirely, dirty water may find its way into your home.
Fortunately, you don’t have to resign yourself to this fate. Hydro jetting solves these drainage problems by pumping high-pressure water into the pipes. The hot water jet system uses the force of gravity to clear up the pipes.
The tell-tale sign that hydro jetting is the best fit for your home is a smelly sewer drain that repetitively clogs up. A plumber can assist in eradicating the obstructions in your pipes, even if they are present in the yard, allowing you to live peacefully.
An experienced plumbing service who uses camera inspection will give insight into whether or not hydro jetting is the right solution.
How Much Does Hydro Jetting Cost?
As with most things, the cost of hydrojetting service will depend upon the location and nature of your clogged sewer pipe problem, including the amount of time involved to resolve it.
Many local providers will discuss pricing over the phone to give you a range of the cost. For example, our plumbing company in Arlington TX charges based upon the first hour / additional hour model. Next, the price varies based upon cold vs hot water jetting.
Residential Hydro Jetting cost:
Hydro jetting services tend to fall anywhere between $250 and $600 for standard residential jobs. Keep in mind that some clogs are actually the result of old damaged pipes, which might need to be replaced.
It’s a no-brainer that severe clogs in your sewer line will be more involved compared to those closer to the openings of the drain cleanout itself, and won’t take as long to clear. The type of blockage can impact the price as routine buildups are more quickly removed.
The removal of tree roots is a more tedious process, sometimes raising the cost. This is why it’s good to keep preventative maintenance in mind. Frequently scheduled services and routine maintenance can curb this large-scale cost down the road by eliminating the development of stubborn clogs.
Here is a video demonstrating just how effective hydro jetting can be:
Commercial Cost of Hydro Jetting:
On the other hand, hydro jetting, a commercial establishment like a restaurant often costs more as it requires more time. Additionally, hot jetting is recommended to remove stubborn grease buildups. Additionally, hydro-jetting often calls for a camera inspection before the service to examine the condition of the pipes.
While sewer camera services can fall in the range of $300 to $400, the service can be included in certain scenarios. These numbers are seemingly on the higher end of the spectrum but are a fraction of an entire sewer line replacement price.
Shelling out a few hundred dollars for the hydro jetting process is nothing compared to the thousands you’d fork out on a complete sewer main replacement job. It diminishes the likelihood of prematurely replacing your sewer line, saving you money in the long run. Below is an example of how much grease can build in a commercial drain line.
Is Hydro Jetting Worth It?
Armed with the understanding of ‘what is hydro jetting sewer lines,’ is, here are the perks of hydro jetting that make it a worthwhile investment.
It’s Effective
Only a few methods match up to the effectiveness of hydro jetting a drain pipe. Given that a hydro jet gets to the root of the problem without damaging your pipes, you can solve the issue without much hassle. It’s one of the ‘have your cake and eat it too’ services.
Eco-Friendly
Although you may not realize this, a boatload of pipe clearing processes and plumbing techniques cannot be classified as eco-friendly. Some rely on chemical based cleaners and hazardous products. What makes a hydro jetting service stand out is that it solely uses water to clean the plumbing pipes.
Versatility
Another major perk of hydro jetting is that it’s a lifesaver in fixing commercial and domestic drainage-related problems. Not all drain service providers rely on state-of-the-art technology to fix a clogged pipe using high-pressure water jetting. Additionally, a trained and skilled hydro jetter tech can guarantee there’s no risk of immediate future clogging.
Having trouble with clogged pipes that are beyond the reach of a plumbing snake or chemical drain cleaners? Choose a healthy and effective drain cleaning service such as hydro jetting to do the job right the first time.
Do you need this done? Reach out to us today and restore your plumbing system from having stubborn and slow clogs to “like-new” condition.
