What is Sewer Jetting: The Important Facts You Need to Know

What do soap, coffee grounds, cotton balls, eggshells, and hair all have in common? They can cause a disaster in your plumbing line. There are tons of household items that get flushed down your drain, whether by accident or due to carelessness. After a while, these items lead to major blockages. Even if you strive to keep everything out of your drain, other elements like neighboring tree roots can invade your pipes and create a clog of their own.

So how can you keep your pipeline as clear as a whistle? By scheduling a sewer jetting session. Sewer jetting uses powerful bursts of water to clear your pipeline and keep your plumbing system as healthy as can be. What is sewer jetting, and how can homeowners benefit from it? Let’s explore.

What Is Sewer Jetting?

Sewer jetting may also be referred to as hydro jetting or water jetting. It’s a method of cleaning sewers, pipes, and drain lines through the power of water. Between the sludge, grime, and miscellaneous debris that gets wedged in our pipes, it’s easy for a pipeline to become clogged. Severe backups lead to sewage backflows, drain fly infestations, and foul odors erupting from your household drains. Jetter plumbing is one of the most efficient and safest ways to clear out whatever is blocking your pipeline.

A powerful sewer jetting session can clear almost anything from your drain line, including:

• Grease
• Tree roots
• Mineral deposits
• Hair
• Soap
• Algae and mold
• Rust
• Mud, sand, and dirt

Sewer jetting was invented in the 1950s. The drain-cleaning process has become more popular in the last ten years, thanks to advancements in jetting technology and well-trained professionals.

How Does Sewer Jetting Work?

A sewer jetter system includes a pump, engine, hose reel, and different nozzles that attach to the hose. For sewer jetting to effectively clean your pipes, it needs the help of highly pressurized water. The jetter should include one to four portable water tanks to supply the H20. Depending on your needs, you can choose between a cold water jetter and a hot water jetter.

The jetter’s engine fuels the high-pressure water pump. The engine is can force the water out of the pump as high as 4,000 PSI. As the water reaches the jet’s hose reel, the nozzle creates more pressure within the system. A certified professional can use the nozzle to stream powerful bursts of water into the drain line and control the water stream. Bigger pipes call for larger and longer jet hoses. The sewer jetter nozzles come in different forms, with each one designed to provide a different purpose.

Regular dome nozzles are ideal for three to ten-inch sewer lines with medium blockages, especially grease and soap. A closed nozzle allows the operator to pull the hose deep into the drain and scrub the sides of the pipeline. A rock nozzle reaches pipes three to twelve inches wide to remove silt, sand, and sludge. As the water exits the hose, it has the power to clear away anything in its path. The powerful PSI pushes away debris, as well as clean the sides of a pipe. Sewer jetting may use as much as sixty gallons of water per minute to produce an intense water stream and eliminate sludge.

What Are the Benefits of Sewer Jetting?

Now that you understand what sewer jetting is, why is it one of the best options for cleaning your drain line? Sewer jetting is efficient, prevents future buildup, safe, and environmentally-friendly.

1. High Efficiency

Plumbers used to rely on drain snakes to remove clogs, but snaking is nothing compared to sewer jetting. While tradition unclogging methods dislodge specific blockages in your pipeline, sewer jetting completely cleans your sewer line. The powerful water stream clears away everything in its path. If any tree roots or grease layers are starting to form along your drain line, they’re guaranteed to be washed away.

2. Preventative Maintenance

Preventative care is an essential part of maintaining a healthy plumbing system. Hydro jetting is one of the best ways to prevent small residue and grease forming in your pipes today from becoming big (and expensive) problems tomorrow. In addition to clearing your pipeline, sewer jetting gives your pipes a much-needed bath. The water rinses your sewer line and washes away soap, scum, and sometimes even rust along your interior pipeline. Lingering residue can lead to large blockages later down the road, but you won’t have to worry about that after jetting your pipes.

3. Pipe Safety

Property owners who rely on chemical drain cleaning solutions to clear away clogs aren’t helping anyone. These harsh chemicals are unhealthy to breathe in and carry toxins that could leak into surrounding water systems. The cleaners contain strong chemicals that eat away at your interior pipeline, making it weaker and more prone to rust. Sewer jetting does not cause you or your pipes any harm. The process doesn’t include chemicals but instead relies on the power of water to clear your sewer line. While using powerful chemical cleaners can make your pipes weaker, regular sewer jetting cleans away residue and makes your pipeline more durable.

4. Environmentally-Friendly

Sewer jetting is not only safe for you and your pipes, but it’s an eco-friendly way to clean your drain line. The process only uses water, which means no environmentally-toxic chemicals are involved. While sewer jetting uses a lot of water to get the job done, most of it is recycled and reused for the next session. If the water cannot be recycled, it’s disposed of safely and responsibly. The entire process helps keep debris and harmful chemicals out of our ecosystem.

Should I Consider Sewer Jetting?

Sewer jetting is a safe and reliable way to clear your pipeline of residue, grease, and debris. It’s ideal for the environment and prevents future pipeline problems later down the road. Sewer jetting sessions are fast, with most lasting under one hour. While sewer jetting may cost a homeowner more money upfront, its powerful cleaning method prevents future maintenance costs. Whether you’re looking to learn more about sewer jetting or explore other plumbing topics to help you keep your home in tip-top shape, check out our handyman blog.