When your toilet has a clog, your go-to tool is probably a plunger. If your sink is emptying slowly, you likely reach for a drain snake.
But what do you do if neither the plunger nor the snake will properly clear the drain? When you need a more powerful solution, you should seek a professional who can use a hydro jet to clear your pipes.
What is Hydro Jetting?
Hydro jetting is a pipe cleaning method that uses a hose with a special nozzle to push a large volume of high-pressure water through your pipes. Only a professional should use a hydro jet because the high water pressure used during the process can cause damage to old or weakened pipes.
A professional will inspect the pipes with a camera prior to jetting to ensure that the pipes are in a suitable condition. Hydro jetting is different from drain snaking because it can push grease, soap buildup, and even mineral buildup out of the pipe.
Snaking breaks up a clot, but only clears a path the size of the snake, leaving any buildup on the pipe walls intact. If the jet is strong enough, it can even clear out tree roots that may have grown into a pipe system. Hydro jetting is a great option for thoroughly cleaning your entire pipe.
Signs that You Need Hydro Jetting
Not all clogs require the use of a hydro jet to clear them. Often a plunger or a snake will be adequate to maintain the flow of a pipe. However, there are some telltale signs that your clog and/or buildup warrants a full cleaning:
If you use a plunger or a drain snake and aren’t able to fully clear the pipe flow, you may need to hydro jet your pipes.- If you use a snake and run into an obstruction that you cannot penetrate you may have a tree root in your pipe, which a hydro jet can break down and flush out.
- Sometimes, slow water flow is a sign that you have excessive mineral build up and could benefit from hydro jetting.
- If you find that you need to snake your pipes regularly because they re-clog frequently, you may have buildup in your pipes that’s too much for the snake to handle.
You don’t necessarily need a major obstruction to warrant hydro jetting. The process is excellent for cleaning out minerals that build up over time and cause slow drainage.
The Benefits of Experienced Drain Cleaning
Periodic hydro jetting should be part of the regular plumbing maintenance for your home. Over time, minerals, soap, and other debris accumulate in your pipes. Tree roots can become a major issue if left unchecked.
Hydro jetting is so powerful that it can break roots and flush them out of your pipes before they grow so large that the completely burst your pipe. Regular maintenance is more affordable and less stressful than replacing a destroyed pipe.
Hydro jetting cleans pipes so effectively that it’ll eliminate the need for regular snaking. Also, it can speed up water flow in old pipes, giving them new life. One final advantage is hydro jetting is that it uses highly pressurized water to clear pipes rather than harsh chemicals.
This all-natural solution is good for the environment and your sewer because it won’t corrode your pipes as chemicals can. Bonus: it washes bacteria buildup away too, improving the health of you and your loved ones.
