Drain Cleaning & Unclogging
Open a blocked sink, tub, laundry drain or main line, and find what keeps causing the stoppage.
Drains and sewers
Hydro Jetting in Louisville, CO
A cable punches a hole through a clog. Hydro jetting washes the pipe wall clean. When a line keeps clogging because grease, scale or fine roots coat the inside, jetting is the method that removes the cause instead of the symptom.
Call and say how often the line has clogged and what was done last time.
Good candidates for jetting
- A line that clogs every few monthsThe cable clears a channel and the buildup grows back.
- Grease-heavy kitchen drainsFat hardens along the pipe wall and narrows it.
- Fine roots in a sound pipeJetting cuts and flushes roots that a cable only nicks.
How jetting works
A hose with a special nozzle is fed into the line through a cleanout. Water is pumped through it at high pressure, and jets angled backward pull the nozzle forward while jets angled forward break up debris. Everything is flushed down toward the main, which is why the hose goes in from the house side.
The result is a pipe that is scoured on all sides, not just opened along the middle. That is why jetting is often recommended for older cast iron pipe with rough scale, and for restaurant or multi-unit lines that carry cooking waste.
When jetting is the wrong tool
A pipe that is cracked, collapsed or badly offset can be damaged by high-pressure water, and jetting can force water out of the defect into the soil. For that reason a camera look often comes first, so the contractor knows what the pipe can take.
Some very old pipe, and a few repaired sections, are better cleared with a gentler method. A good contractor will say so instead of selling jetting on every call.
Cost
What sets the price of hydro jetting
Because of the equipment involved, jetting runs higher than basic cable cleaning. These factors decide the total.
Find out if a camera inspection comes with the job and if you will receive the video.
In Louisville
Tree roots in Louisville laterals
Louisville is known for its mature neighborhoods, and the large trees that make them pleasant also send roots toward the moisture and warmth in a sewer line. Fine roots entering at a joint can slow a drain long before a stoppage.
Clay soil can also open a joint slightly as the ground moves through wet and dry seasons. Jetting cleans the pipe, and a camera shows whether the joint needs repair.
What to expect on the day
The crew finds or installs a cleanout, runs the hose, and works the line from the lowest point to the main. They may run a camera afterward to confirm the pipe is clean and to check its condition.
Plan for a few hours of limited water use, and expect some noise and a wet work area around the cleanout. Ask for the footage, since it is the best record of what the pipe looked like before and after.
Keeping the line clean afterward
Jetting resets the line but does not change what goes into it. Keep grease out of the kitchen drain, use a hair catcher in showers, and skip wipes. A line that has been jetted may need periodic service if trees are nearby.
Ask the contractor how long a cleaned line usually stays clear and what interval they suggest. The honest answer depends on the pipe and what you pour into it.
Cleaning and inspecting the line
Sewer Camera Inspection
Run a camera through the sewer to see its condition before a home purchase or a repair decision.
Sewer Line Repair
Mend a sewer pipe that is cracked, shifted or full of roots, whether the fix is one spot or a long run.
Quick answers
What people ask about hydro jetting
It depends on the pipe. Sound cast iron, clay and PVC can usually take it. A cracked or collapsed pipe can be damaged, which is why a camera look often comes first.
A cable opens a channel through the blockage. Jetting uses moving water to scrub the pipe wall, which removes grease and scale that a cable leaves in place.
A typical residential job takes a few hours, including setup and a camera check. Longer lines and heavy buildup add time.
It can cut and flush fine and moderate roots. Thick roots that have split a pipe may need a cutting head first, and the pipe itself may need repair.
Phone at any hour. If the main drain is overflowing indoors, open with that. Whether a crew rolls out that night rests on the contractor's schedule and equipment.
You can phone at any hour. If the main drain is already overflowing indoors, lead with that, and the dispatcher hunts for a contractor who owns jetting gear. Whether a crew rolls out that night depends on the contractor's availability.
Same clog again?
Call and tell the dispatcher how often the line has backed up. A local contractor can advise whether jetting is the right fix.