To start, hydro jetting is the process of high pressure water used to flush out a sewer system of buildup and debris. This process was originally made popular for industrial business where grease buildup over time would clog pipes. Primarily the restaurant business.
Over time, fittings for hydro jetting hoses were invented that specialize in removal of more solid debris like root intrusions.
The most common issue people can run into when deciding which hydro jetting company to hire is a lack of understanding that hydro jetting with a fitting designed to focus on the removal of grease is going to be very ineffective on something like root intrusions.
The next thing to understand about hydro jetting is just how powerful it can be. Depending on the equipment used pressures ranging from 2,000 to 60,000 psi can be produced. Root cleaning typically calls for around 4,000 psi. The fittings are designed to shoot this water along the inner wall of the pipe and not at the pipe itself as to do so could break through the pipe entirely. While a restaurants system would typically be made of cast iron pipe that can withstand extreme pressure, a clay sewer line is much more fragile.
For this reason it is very important to know what you are hydro jetting before hand. A sharp turn in a sewer line for example which are very common, could be very dangerous if the cleaning contractor did not know it existed or where it existed and went into the turn at high pressure causing the back end of the pipe to break open. The best way to achieve this is to use a sewer camera to both understand what your cleaning as well as to verify you have cleaned the area thoroughly.
We would never recommend the hydro jetting of a sewer line without a camera being used for this reason. Many hydro jetting contractors either do not use a camera or charge you additional fee’s to use a camera. You should definitely find out if the price you are being quoted includes the camera or not.
As an example, a well known hydro jetting company charges approx. $350 to hydro jet and an additional $200 for a camera to be used.
When communicating with a hydro jetting contractor it can be difficult as they often will not inform you that their equipment is designed for grease removal and not root removal. As this information is very important to establish, you should always confirm that the technician you are hiring is absolutely using the correct equipment designed for your needs and is doing so with a camera to ensure pipe safety and thorough cleaning.
As always, we have excellent referrals for this type of service and you can call us anytime!
Sincerely,
Jeremy Williams
Williams Sewer Line Inspectors