Hydro jetting

How is jetting different from snaking?

A cable makes a hole; a jetter cleans the wall. The nozzle pulls itself up the line on rear-facing jets while forward jets cut the blockage, and the return flow carries the debris out through the cleanout. That is why a jetted line stays clear far longer than a snaked one when the problem is build-up rather than a single object.

Can jetting damage a pipe?

On a sound pipe, no; the nozzle and pressure are matched to the pipe material and size. On a pipe that is already cracked or collapsed, no cleaning method is the answer. This is the reason the camera goes down first: jetting a broken line just moves the problem.

Guides that use this term

• › How drain cleaning works: snake, camera, and what happens on the call
• › Why the same drain keeps clogging
• › Hydro jetting, explained: what it is and when a drain needs it
• › Root intrusion in sewer lines: how roots get in and what to do about it
• › Kitchen plumbing: the sink, the disposal, the drain line and the water under it
• › Restaurant plumbing: grease, the line to the interceptor, and hot water that cannot stop
• › Salon and retail plumbing: hair, hot water and the restroom that has to work
• › Multi-unit and property management plumbing: shared lines, shared water heaters, one phone call
• › Snaking vs hydro jetting: which one your drain actually needs
• › What drain cleaning and hydro jetting cost in Orange County
• › Residential vs commercial plumbing service: what changes when the customer is a business

Related terms

• Drain snake (cable machine)
• Root intrusion
• Sewer lateral (main line)
• Full glossary