What could be better for clearing out the muck and debris that causes clogs and blockages in your pipework than water? How about water blasted through at up to 4000PSI? There’s not much that this technique can’t clear, but what is hydro jetting and how does it work?
What Is Hydro Jetting?
Hydro jetting is a method of dealing with problem drains when all else fails. If you’ve found snaking and chemicals to be ineffective, then hydro cleaning your pipes will almost certainly clear your issues. Whether there’s been a build-up of sludge, a blockage caused by a solid object or even a tree root poking through, a high-powered blast of water will clear it.
How Does Hydro Jetting Work?
Hydro Jetting a drain is a fairly simple process. It goes something like this:
- A professional will inspect your pipework to make sure it can withstand the pressure
- If it’s safe, a special nozzle attached to a hose and pressure washer is inserted into the pipe
- The nozzle forces water through the pipe (spraying 360o), breaking down and cutting through blockages
- If more pressure is required, this can be adjusted mid process. The pressure washers top out at about 4000psi for particularly stubborn blockages. For reference, an elephant puts about 35psi on the ground after each step, so we’re talking serious cleaning power.
The high-powered spray hits the sides of your pipe and any blockages from every angle, effectively clearing almost any clog. It hits with such great force that sludge, objects and even tree roots are broken up and washed away. The result is a sparkling-clean, clear drain.
When Should You Use Hydro Jetting?
While hydro jetting drains and pipes is undoubtedly effective, it’s best kept for certain situations. As this is a professional service, it’s probably not going to be your go-to solution for every issue.
Hydro jetting your plumbing is particularly useful when:
You’ve Got Clogged or Slow Running Drains
Drains are prone to getting blocked, clogged and generally gummed up by debris, grease and fats. Over time, this can lead to a restriction in the internal diameter of the pipe or even a total blockage.
Hydro jetting makes light work of clearing these out, thanks to the 360o spray. It’s even more effective than snaking or chemical cleaners in many situations. While plumber’s snakes are fantastic for dealing with certain types of clogs, they require something solid to bore through or grip onto. Likewise, chemical unblockers are effective at clearing certain materials, but run the risk of damaging pipes and exposing you to nasty chemicals. These aren’t issues for hydro jetting.
Recurring Blockages
Often, blockages can reoccur as build-up is washed partially away- just enough to allow water to flow again- and then slowly returns. Thanks to the way hydro jetting your drains works, this isn’t an issue.
As the water is forced through the hose, the nozzle ensures that it’s pushed out from many angles all at once. The result is that all the gunk, debris and other bits which traditional methods leave clinging to the walls of your drain are washed away.
Root Intrusion
Sewer lines can occasionally be threatened by tree roots breaking through them. When this happens, all the unpleasant things which get washed away into the sewers to undergo treatment can spill out, causing contamination.
Hydro jetting a drain will make short work of roots that are breaking through. The pressure from the jet is strong enough to cut through even tough materials like wood without much effort. This allows the pipe to then be repaired much more easily.
Benefits Of Hydro Jetting
Hydro jet cleaning for your plumbing has four major advantages over traditional methods of dealing with blockages and clogs.
- Thorough Cleaning: snaking and chemicals can leave a surprising amount behind when they break through clogs
- Environmentally Friendly: as they only use water, there’s no exposure to harsh chemicals for you, your pipework or the environment.
- Long-term Solution: Rather than simply making a path through a clog, hydro cleaning hits the whole pipe. This means that a hydro clean lasts longer, eliminating recurring problems.
- Safe for pipes: When done by an experienced professional, hydro jetting a drain won’t cause more damage. The same can’t always be said of chemical or snake cleaning.
Is Hydro Jetting Safe For All Pipes?
While hydro jetting is a good solution for many drain problems, it’s not always suitable. It’s vital to always consult an experienced professional to avoid causing damage. Hydro jetting drains harnesses some serious pressure, so getting it wrong can cause some real issues.
While nearly all modern materials used to construct drains and sewer lines will withstand the pressures of hydro clearing, older ones and pipes that are already damaged may be at risk. Before they start, a professional will weigh out the risks and let you know if your pipework can withstand the pressure. In the case that your sewer line is already damaged or otherwise unsuitable, they’ll be able to offer you alternative solutions.
How Hydro Jetting Compares to Other Methods
There are 3 main ways of clearing out a clogged pipe (and various variations within those 3 categories). Those are; hydro jetting, snakes and augurs and, chemical cleaners. Let’s see how they compare:
Hydro Jetting Vs Snakes
A plumber’s snake is a long coil of metal that can be inserted down a drain and twisted to either fish out or break through a blockage. They’re cheap and easy to use and for many clogs, the perfect solution. They can also often be done on a DIY basis- just pop to the hardware store and your drain could be running freely by this evening.
That being said, they’re not suited for dealing with sludge and can often leave a good amount of debris behind. This then forms the basis of a recurring clog and requires more attention later.
On the other hand, a hydro clean eliminates all the debris, breaking it down and washing it away. This means that there’s less risk of clogs and blockages recurring, offering a long-lasting solution that snaking often can’t.
Hydro Jetting Vs Chemical Cleaners
Chemical cleaners may seem like a simple solution to a clogged drain. You simply pour them down, wait a while then wash them through. It’s hard to deny their effectiveness and ease of use and, given that they can be picked up in any supermarket, accessibility.
They do come with some pretty serious downsides though:
- Repeated use of acidic chemicals can damage pipework
- Exposure to fumes for users
- Environmental impacts
- May not remove all the blockage
- Not always effective on horizontal drains
Hydro jetting quite simply has none of these issues. As it harnesses water alone, there are no harsh chemicals to be exposed to and no negative environmental impacts.
How Much Does Hydro Jetting Cost?
As with any professional service in the home, there’s always some math to do when it comes to weighing out cost/benefits. While we’ve seen how effective hydro cleaning can be, whether it’s worth the investment is entirely dependent on your own circumstances.
The cost can be affected by factors like:
- The length and condition of your pipes
- How bad the blockage is
- Where the plumbing to be cleaned is located
- Scale of the job (a commercial space will probably cost more than a residential setting).
Hydro jetting provides a thorough clean that leads to significant long-term savings, as the job won’t need to be repeated nearly as often. That being said, a drain snake or unblocker fluid will probably only set you back a few dollars. Whether the long-term investment is worth it is up to you.
When To Call A Professional For Hydro Jetting
Generally speaking, anything that can involve pressures approaching 4000psi is best left to those who know what they’re doing. Think of it this way: if it can cut through a tree root, what could it do to you and your home?
Hydro jetting your plumbing safely and efficiently requires the knowledge and finesse that only comes with experience and training. From assessing the condition of your drains to knowing how much pressure to apply, it really is a skilled job.
If you’re wondering when it’s worth calling in the pros, it’s worth considering when you find yourself dealing with:
- Slow draining sinks, baths and showers
- Frequent clogs that keep coming back
- Suspicious gurgling sounds
- Bad smells that don’t seem to go when you try traditional cleaning methods.
While blasting your plumbing with streams of high-powered water through a jet washer may seem like overkill, it’s hard to deny its efficacy. Sometimes you really do just need to cut through the clog with the power of 1000 elephants stepping on it.