What Is Hydro Jet Plumbing?
Hydro jet plumbing is the process of sending a long hose of highly pressurized water down the sewer line to break up and clear blockages. The water has a secondary benefit of channeling the debris down the sewer line and into the large municipal sewer pipe, called the city main.
Hydro jet plumbing also scours clean the inside of the sewer pipe, improving its long-term performance.
When Is It Necessary to Hydro Jet Your Sewer Line?
It’s usually necessary to hydro jet your sewer line when other methods, like chemicals, have failed. One benefit of hydro jetting is that it not only breaks up the clog, but the water also pushes the clog farther down the line to the city main. Sewer lines that are slowed down or clogged with soap and debris are good candidates for hydro jetting.
Main Sewer Line Clog Costs
Clearing a main sewer line clog can be accomplished either by snaking (augering) the line or by hydro jetting it. The cost ranges from $300 to $1,100.
Sewer Line Snake vs. Hydro Jet
When a sewer line has a clog, there are two primary ways to remove the clog and clear the line: snaking or hydro jetting the line.
With snaking a sewer line, a long flexible metal rod is inserted through the sewer line cleanout. At the end of the flexible rod are sharp blades. At the top, a machine rotates the rod, thus rotating the blades. The blades cut through clogs like tree roots, hair or debris.
Hydro jetting a sewer line is similar to snaking a line. A machine at the sewer cleanout sends a long, flexible pipe down the sewer to the obstruction. Clean water travels through the pipe. The water leaves the end of the pipe, creating jets of water that are powerful enough to cut through obstructions.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Hydro Jetting a Sewer Line
Extent of Clog
If the clog is particularly severe, more time will be required to cut through the clog and push it away. A simple drain line cleaning project might be one where the obstruction is located close to the cleanout.
Sewer Line Access
A sewer cleanout is an open point (normally with a removable cap) on the sewer line where plumbers can access the line all the way to the city main. If the cleanout is difficult to get to (such as in a basement or crawlspace) or, worse, if there is no cleanout at all, the drain hydro jetting will be more expensive.
Sewer Line Inspection
If the plumbing company recommends a video camera inspection as a precursor to hydro jetting, the overall hydro jet drain cleaning cost will be significantly higher. A sewer line video inspection costs from $300 to $1,200, depending on the length of the line and access to the cleanout.
4 Reasons For Hydro Jet Plumbing
Clean Minor Clogs
Hydro jet drain cleaning can clear minor clogs that ordinarily would require snaking. Small tree roots and other foliage in growth can be removed by hydro jetting your sewer line.
Remove Residual Debris
No matter how clean you keep your sewer line, residual debris will end up in the line. Silt, sand, dirt, caked-up hair, soap and other small matter can be removed with sewer jetting.
Eliminate Harmful Bacteria
Your home’s sewer line removes gray water from sink, shower and tub drains and sends it to the city main. It also handles black water from toilets. As a result, your sewer line is teeming with bacteria. Hydro jetting removes harmful bacteria and helps eliminate odors in the home.
Provide Constant Maintenance
Even if there is no catastrophic triggering event, such as blocked toilets, it’s a good idea to occasionally hydro jet your sewer system to keep it in top condition.
DIY Sewer Hydro Jetting vs. Calling a Plumber
Hydro jet drain cleaning is nearly always a job for a plumber. But an experienced do-it-yourselfer can rent a 1,500 psi water jetter for about $100 to $200 per day from rental yards and do the work.
Inspecting the condition and type of sewer pipe before hydro jetting is critical to prevent pipe damage. Rental yards will rent out 200-foot video pipe cameras for $260 to $350 per day.
It’s possible to perform a modified version of hydro jet drain cleaning with a regular electric or gas pressure washer. A special hose attachment is required. Using a pressure washer delivers only about half as much water as commercial-grade hydro jet machines.