What hydro jetting does
A jetter is a high-pressure water pump, a long hose and a nozzle. Jets on the nozzle pull the hose forward down the pipe while other jets spray the pipe wall all the way around. As the hose is drawn back, the water carries the loosened grease, sludge and scale downstream and out of your line.
A cable spins through a blockage and opens a hole, which is often all a single clog needs. But whatever was coating the pipe is still there, and the hole can close up again. Jetting is meant to clean the pipe back toward its full width.
When jetting beats a cable
Kitchen lines coated in grease. Grease goes down the sink warm and runny, then cools and sticks to the pipe. Food bits cling to it, and the layer grows. A cable pokes through it; jetting washes it off.
Old cast iron and clay: the exception. Over the years, the inside of a cast iron drain turns rough with rust and scale, and old clay pipe turns brittle. A pipe in that shape can break under jetting pressure, so we don’t jet old cast iron or clay lines. We clear them another way, check the pipe with a camera, and tell you whether it needs a repair.
Roots in the joints. Jetting can clear roots that have grown in through a joint and get the line moving again. It won’t keep them out. The roots came in through an opening, and that opening is still there. The European plastic pipe makers’ association, TEPPFA, says only replacing the affected section (or removing the tree) fixes a root problem for the long term. That’s sewer line repair.
A main line that slows down again after it’s snaked. If a cable gets the water moving but the line is sluggish again a few weeks or months later, something inside is building up or catching waste. Jetting removes buildup. If the cause turns out to be a sag or a crack, cleaning alone won’t hold.
Laundry lint and soap sludge. Washer water carries lint and soap that pack into a soft, sticky layer further down the line. Soft buildup like this is the kind jetting clears well.
Houston’s grease problem gets worse in winter
Grease isn’t just a kitchen nuisance here. Houston Public Works says about 7 in 10 sewer overflows in the city start with clogs from cooking fats, oils and grease, along with wipes flushed down toilets. The City also says its crews respond to twice as many grease-blockage overflows in the colder months. That’s the season of big family meals and roasting pans rinsed in the sink, and the same grease builds up in your own kitchen line before it ever reaches the street.
When not to jet, or when to go easy
On pipe that’s cracked, crumbling, thin or shifted out of line, high-pressure water can make a weak spot worse. Industry jetting codes say:
Match the pressure to the pipe. The UK’s WRc Sewer Jetting Code of Practice recommends a maximum of 130 bar (about 1,885 psi), particularly where the pipe’s condition is unknown or known to be defective. It’s written for public sewers, but the principle applies to home drains. The US sewer industry’s NASSCO jetter code says pressure should be based on the pipe’s structural condition, material and diameter.
Know the pipe first. TEPPFA’s jetting guide says to check the pipe’s material, size and structural condition before jetting. It warns that high-pressure, low-volume jetting carries a significantly higher risk of damaging the pipe wall, especially in pipe that’s in poor condition.
Stop if pieces of pipe come back. Under the NASSCO code, as reported by Cleaner magazine, pipe fragments in the debris can mean the pipe is close to failing. The next step is a video inspection, not more pressure.
Some problems aren’t dirt. A crack, an offset joint, a belly (a sunken section that holds water) or a collapsed section is a pipe problem. Jetting may get water moving for a while, but the fix is a repair.
So not every line gets the same treatment. Some lines need a lighter touch, and some shouldn’t be jetted until they’re repaired. If yours is one of them, we’ll tell you before we start.
Why a camera check first
We know of no Texas or Houston code that requires a camera before jetting. It’s an industry best practice. A small camera on a cable travels down the line and shows the pipe on a monitor, so you can see what the pipe is made of, how thick the buildup is, and whether something like a sag or crack changes the plan. On an older line, or one nobody has looked at, a camera check first is the safe way to jet. TEPPFA also recommends a camera after clearing a blockage, to find out what caused it.
A camera inspection is part of our free diagnostic, and you get a copy of the video. If the line is clogged solid, we clear it first, then run the camera.
What to expect during and after
Your technician needs a way into the line, usually an outdoor cleanout. If your home doesn’t have one, they’ll explain the other options before starting. The hose goes in at that point, and the loosened buildup is flushed down the line. When the line is clean, we run plenty of water through it to make sure it flows freely. Your technician will tell you if you need to hold off on running water in the house, and when it’s fine again.
Afterward, help the line stay clean. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing them. Let cooking grease cool in a can or jar and put it in the trash. Keep wipes out of the toilet, even the ones labeled flushable.
Sources: Houston Public Works, Protect Our Pipes · TEPPFA, Best Practice for Effective Jetting of Sewer Pipes (cites the WRc Sewer Jetting Code of Practice) · Cleaner magazine, on the NASSCO Jetter Code of Practice
