What Is Hydrojetting? And When Do You Need It?
What is hydrojetting?
Hydrojetting is the process of using a high-pressured flow of water to scour the interior surfaces of the plumbing pipes, removing scale, grease and other debris that’s built up inside the pipe walls over time. As opposed to rodding, where a plumber uses a tool to power a hole through the buildup, hydrojetting achieves a comprehensive cleaning of the pipes.
If you’re noticing recurring clogs in your home’s plumbing system, it’s time to call a reputable plumber to the scene. In many cases, clogged drains and problems with water pressure indicate more serious problems inside the plumbing pipes. An expert plumber should know the best course of action to take, and when to implement hydrojetting as a solution.
How Does Hydro Jetting Work?
Our process of hydro jetting is fairly simple.
- First, we use a small camera to inspect the pipes that we will be cleaning out to ensure that they can withstand the force of the hydro jet.
- We then insert the hydro jet hose (which is connected to a tank of water) into the pipe or cleanout.
- When we feel the hose is inserted well, we turn on the machine and let the water pressure from the hydro jet do it’s job.
Overall, we do recommend this method of clearing out your water pipes vs. the traditional drain snake method, if it’s possible in your specific situation. It is generally a safe and extremely effective process.
What can be removed with hydro jetting?
For residential work, hydro jetting can remove sand, silt and scale build up as well as hair clogs and other residues that build up on the walls of the pipes. Routine hydro jetting should be done on restaurants to remove grease and food particle build up. This type of service can completely clean pipes of residual build up in ways that snaking can not.
Snaking out pipes only breaks up the clogs but leaves build up remaining on the interior walls. Hydro jetting is also environmentally friendly, no harsh chemicals are needed.
Hydro jetting should be done by a professional plumbing contractor. The high pressure could damage lines if they are not properly inspected first. Quality plumbers are trained in the use of the system and know what to look for to prevent damage and thoroughly clean the entire system.
When should I use a hydro jet?
When you have a clogged line, the first line of defense is a plunger or a plumber’s snake. When those methods don’t work, the hydro jet is the next best step. Roots in the sewer lines and other clogs are sometimes more than a snake can handle, but the hydro jet can attack these clogs with no problem. Hydro jets can also be used for maintenance to clean out drains before a clog becomes a problem.
Benefits of Hydro Jetting – Is it Worth It?
No matter how durable you may think your sewer lines are, chemical drain cleaners should only be your last option, as they can do more harm than good not just to the pipes but even to the environment. Not to mention, it needs to be handled carefully to avoid injury. And yes, this also includes the non-corrosive type.
Snaking, on the other hand, can some time to do. Even if there are a handful of different methods present when it comes to snaking a drain, all of them are time-consuming compared to hydro jetting. And, not all of them can completely fix the issue.
Hydro jetting is the most recommended method of plumbers for various reasons, such as:
- It does not really fail – because of the adjustable water pressure, there is a guarantee that pipes of all sizes will be unclogged. Plumbers can easily change the water pressure until the blockage gets completely dislodged.
- It is also for proper maintenance – since water is used, your sewer lines get cleaned at the same time that blockages are being broken down. This is not something that snaking can do, as snaking a drain still leaves residues on the pipes that can eventually create another blockage.
- It does not harm the environment – because it only uses water and does not involve harsh chemicals, hydro jetting is completely safe for the environment.
- It can be used for all sorts of sewer lines – due to the use of professional equipment, most would think that hydro jetting should only be done to commercial structures. The fact is, it can also be done in residential homes as well. Hydro jetting is versatile and can adapt to all sorts of sewer lines in both residential and commercial settings, especially with the different nozzles that can be used.
- It is hygienic – we know for a fact that sewage contains the nasty stuff we would never touch with our bare hands. With hydro jetting, the chances of the plumber getting into contact with them is lessened, as there is less time needed to unclog the sewer line. Hydro jetting gets the job done faster than snaking.
- You actually get to save some money – despite hiring the services of a plumber, hydro jetting will actually help you save money in the long run. This is not just a remedy but also a preventive maintenance measure. Since it cleans the sewer lines, potential issues are also eliminated early, and even completely if you get it regularly done.
- It is a time-saver – snaking a drain takes a chunk of your time, but this is hardly the case for hydro-jetting. Among all the non-chemical-based methods of fixing a clogged pipe, hydro jetting works the fastest.
From all these, it is not hard to see why hydro jetting is a favorite of plumbers when it comes to unblocking pipes.