What Is Hydro Jetting And When Do You Need It For Your Drain.

What Is Hydro Jetting? If you find that you need to use drain cleaners and other unclogging products, you may have an issue with clogged drains and plumbing systems. Left untreated, you might find drainage to get even worse, which can eventually lead to drainage problems, debris buildup, and cracks in your pipes from that buildup.

There are many solutions available, including hydro jetting. This process removes the need for harmful chemicals that can take its toll on your plumbing system. If you’re looking for better long-term solutions to treat your drains without the need for artificial chemicals, hydro jet drain cleaning may be your best option.

What Is Hydro Jetting?

Hydro jetting involves using high-pressure water jets through your pipes. This can clear away any debris buildup and prevent clogging throughout your plumbing system. No chemicals are used in the process.

Hydro jetting can thoroughly scour your pipes to remove any debris that can build up over time. This can address slow-moving drains and clogged drains that aren’t functioning properly because of stubborn debris and materials that drain cleaners and other similar products that can’t fully clean your pipes.

How Hydro Jet Drain Cleaning Works

Only a professional plumber can use hydro jet drain cleaning effectively while minimizing the risks of damage to your property’s entire plumbing system.
Assessing Your Plumbing System

First, your plumber will inspect your home and find the best place to insert their hydro jet hose. This will depend on whether the issue with clogging is limited to one drain on your property or if it involves your entire sewer system. Using a video inspection, they’ll locate major blockage points and areas of debris buildup that will need to be removed in the drain cleaning process.

Your plumber should also take steps to inspect the condition of your pipes. hydro jetting doesn’t use harsh chemicals, but it uses high water pressure up to 60,000 psi. Old pipes and pipes with signs of weakness may break during the process, even if the water pressure is lowered. If there are no issues with your pipes, they can proceed with hydro jet drain cleaning.

Cleaning Your Pipes

Next, your plumber will insert a hose into one of the access points in your plumbing system. They’ll then turn on the hydro jet and adjust the water pressure based on the type of debris and the condition of your pipes.

The hose then snakes along your plumbing system, hitting buildup and clogged areas with high water pressure and dislodging them. This entire process flushes the debris from your plumbing system as they make their way down into the sewer. Once that part of your plumbing system is clean, your plumber may proceed with other access points on your property, if necessary.

How Long Does Hydro Jetting Take?

Average homes and commercial properties can take about an hour to be thoroughly cleaned. This doesn’t include the time it takes for your plumber to inspect your property through video inspections. Larger properties with more drains and access points to service, however, can add more time to the process, which can take around an hour and a half.

Commercial properties that frequently dispose of liquids in their drain that can cause buildup issues should have their systems undergo hydro jetting more frequently. However, most residential and commercial properties that do hydro jetting will only need to have it done approximately every 18 months up to every two years.

This makes hydro jetting an ideal long-term solution compared to other methods of keeping your drains clean. Drain cleaner chemicals need to be used monthly, while manual snaking needs to be done frequently but doesn’t address stubborn debris at the sides of your pipes.

What Can You Remove from Your Pipes with Hydro Jetting?

When done by a professional plumber, Hydro jetting can treat a number of common causes for clogging and debris buildup. These include:

• Silt and other types of sand and mineral deposits
• Hair
• Grease, fat, and oils
• Food particles
• Any other organic materials that commonly build up in your drains

Your plumbing system may also be clogged because of tree roots. If you have a tree on your property, it’s possible for its roots to find an entry point within your plumbing system and cause clogging issues between your plumbing system and the sewer lines. Your plumber can take a look at your pipes to see if hydro jetting is a suitable solution depending on the condition and quality of your pipes. Otherwise, you may need a professional auger service to remove the roots for you.

Does Your Plumbing System Need Hydro Jet Drain Cleaning?

Commercial properties that are more prone to a buildup (like restaurants and industrial manufacturing facilities) often use hydro jetting as a way to keep their pipes clean. However, it can also be used in other commercial and residential properties if you haven’t had your pipes professionally cleaned in years. Some of the benefits of choosing hydro jetting include:

• More comprehensive compared to other methods. Standard snaking, drain cleaners, and other steps used in preventative maintenance may not thoroughly remove all the debris in your pipes the way hydro jetting can.
• Environmentally friendly solution. Hydro jetting only uses water to treat the buildup, so you don’t have to worry about the chemicals you’re using on your pipes that can end up in the sewers.
• Better long-term option for cleaner pipes. By getting a more thorough method of cleaning your pipes, you can experience the difference when your sinks and other drains clear out faster. In comparison, drain cleaners and manual snaking do not solve the entire clogging issue and will require additional maintenance much faster.

Many commercial properties have regular hydro jetting services done to their plumbing system to ensure their pipes stay clean. Both residential and commercial properties that don’t perform regular cleaning may benefit from drain cleaning if they see the following signs:

Your plumbing system is constantly getting clogged or backed up. If you notice clogging or if it takes your sink or any other fixture to drain slowly, this is a sign of a significant buildup within your pipes.

There’s an unpleasant smell coming from your bathroom or kitchen drains. A lot of the materials that build up in your pipes consist of organic materials. This can lead to decomposition or bacteria growing around the buildup, which can be responsible for the stench.

Your drain is gurgling loudly. This suggests that there’s buildup or debris stuck to your pipes that are partially covering your pipes from a smooth drain.
You’re using drain cleaner more frequently. Most DIY drain cleaner solutions recommend use once a month. This may help with clogging issues for a while, but you might find it backing up again. If this happens frequently, it’s a sign that there’s more buildup than the average drain cleaner can address.

You haven’t had your plumbing system cleaned or maintained in years. Ideally, you should be cleaning your pipes at least once a year. If you haven’t, your pipes may be long overdue for cleaning services like hydro jetting.

Can My Plumbing System Withstand Hydro Jetting?

Keep in mind that not all plumbing systems are fit to receive hydro jetting services. Because of the high water pressure and thorough cleaning, older, brittle, and damaged pipes may take on damage during the process. That’s why having a professional plumber perform inspections and conduct hydro jet drain cleaning is essential.

Hydro jetting isn’t good with brittle pipes, as the water pressure can damage or break it. Your plumber can take a look and see if your pipes are prone to damage. If it is, your plumber may recommend alternative solutions like manually snaking a drain. This may be a common issue in older homes and in properties that haven’t maintained their pipes.

And even if your pipes show no signs of damage, there’s still the risk of damaging your plumbing system if your hydro jet drain cleaning isn’t done by a proficient provider. Keep in mind that the water pressure is extremely high, so using too much pressure can damage your pipes. You’ll want to work with a plumber that can calculate the right water pressure to thoroughly clean your pipes and leave no stubborn debris while also preventing long-term damage to your plumbing.

Hydro Jet Drain Cleaning vs. Manually Snaking a Drain

Snaking a drain involves inserting a wire coil into your drain and then twisting it. This can either break the obstruction or claw at the obstruction and make it easier to pull it out. Snaking your drain may be one of the few other options if your pipes aren’t fit for hydro jetting. But if you have the option between the two, hydro jetting provides a number of advantages:

More thorough
The water pipe will release high-pressured water that will essentially scour your drain and flush out all the blockage. In comparison, snaking a drain will only remove enough of the blockage to stop clogging, but can’t clear out stubborn debris stuck to the pipes.

Environmentally friendly
Hydro jets only use water to flush out debris. While snaking a drain doesn’t use chemicals, it’s often used alongside drain cleaners, which can have corrosive effects on your pipes.

Long-term solution
Hydro jetting effectively clear out pipes, which means most properties won’t need another hydro jetting service until at least a year and a half later. Snaking is a more short-term solution as it doesn’t address the root cause of the buildup and needs to be repeated as necessary.

Trust Flatley’s Plumbing for Comprehensive Pipe Cleaning Solutions

For residential and commercial properties with pipes that can withstand treatment, hydro jetting may be the best option to deal with your property’s plumbing system. It’s effective, and comprehensive, and maintains the quality and condition of your plumbing system. When you get your services from a trustworthy plumber like Flatley’s Plumbing, you can expect fast and reliable service that delivers results.

Get in touch with our family-owned plumbing business and see why we’re the choice provider of plumbing services in your area.