Where jetting earns its keep
Cabling is the right first step for most clogs. Jetting is for lines that keep coming back: restaurant-style grease in a busy family kitchen, long basement runs with years of soap scum, or a sewer lateral where roots were cut but debris still lines the pipe. It is also useful before a camera survey, because a clean wall shows cracks and offsets clearly.
When we will not jet
- Clay or Orangeburg pipe that a camera shows is already broken or collapsing
- Old cast iron worn paper-thin at the bottom of the pipe
- Lines with no accessible cleanout, until one is installed
How the work proceeds
- Camera the line to check material, condition and the location of the blockage.
- Choose a nozzle: a penetrating head for a solid plug, a spinning head for scouring.
- Jet from the downstream end first so loosened debris has somewhere to go.
- Re-camera to show you the result on screen.
Afterwards
A jetted line drains noticeably faster and usually stays that way far longer than a cabled one. If the camera found a sag or a root-entry joint, we will discuss sewer line repair rather than repeat cleanings. Start with camera drain inspection if you are unsure what is down there.
The short version
Tell-tale signs
- A clog that is back within a month of clearing
- Toilet bubbles when the laundry tub is emptied
- Floor drain overflows the moment anything upstairs drains
- Fine white root hairs wrapped round the cable tip
Kit on the van
- Big sectional machine with toothed root saws
- Self-righting camera on a 60 m push reel
- Jetter hose with a rear-firing nozzle
- Inflatable test plugs and a locator wand
How we go about it
- Walk you through the recording before any digging
- Crack the main cleanout and let the backup drop
- Cut through to the city connection at the property line
- Send the camera down and log depth and footage
Your questions, answered plainly
Is jetting safe for plastic pipe?
Yes, PVC and ABS handle residential jetting pressures well when the pipe is sound.
Does jetting remove roots?
It washes away fine roots and debris; thick roots are cut first with a mechanical root head.