Hydro jetting is one of the most recent processes of removing debris from pipes in San Francisco. This process involves using a high-pressure water stream that pumps through the interior surfaces of the plumbing pipes, scrubbing them to remove scale, grease, and other particles that have built up inside the pipe walls over time. But is hydro jetting worth it? We will examine briefly the some aspects of hydro-jetting in order to answer this question.
How Does Hydro Jetting Work?
The first step of a hydro jet drain cleaning service is a thorough assessment of your plumbing system by an expert to determine the level of damage the clogs have done to your pipes. Once they are certain that your pipe and drain system will be able to handle the pressure, the jetting hose will be inserted into your plumbing system, and the proper amount of water pressure will be pumped into your pipes. While this level can be adjusted to suit your system, the water pressure can go as high as 35,000 psi.
The clog and the accumulation gathered in your pipes will be then flushed safely out of your house by the water scouring the walls of your pipes and being removed by gravity. Because of these specifics, the procedure of hydro jetting is fantastic for clearing blockages while also maintaining the general health of your pipes.
While this sounds very easy and simple, the process of jetting sewer lines and drains is much more complicated than the mere putting of a hose down a drain, turning it on, and flushing down that annoying debris. Hydro jetting, when performed by an amateur, can badly damage your plumbing system and break your pipes, costing you a lot of money to repair.
This said, hydro jetting process is not one of those DIY processes, and it’s better, much safer, and definitely less costly to leave this project to a qualified plumber who has the necessary equipment and expertise to finish it without incident. [1]
Advantages of Hydro Jetting Service
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It is very Sanitary
Even though you are leaving the entire project in the hands of your plumber to sort out the nasty work, sanitation is also important.
While in other procedures, there is always the chance of the worker, house, and other surrounding area coming into contact with garbage and sewage that is being gutted out, this rarely occurs with hydro jetting.
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Eco-friendliness
Hydro jetting is much more environmentally friendly than most other procedures.
While it undoubtedly uses a lot of water, it is far more eco-friendly than all the chemicals and processes used in other processes. And, regardless of its usage of water, it does not pose a risk for homes and structures close to bodies of water like lakes, ponds, and rivers.
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Effectiveness
Hydro Jetting is much more effective in the complete removal of debris and blockage than most traditional plumbing techniques.
While these older techniques can remove obstructions, there is still a possibility that some of the debris will remain in the pipe even after cleaning. This will lead to an accumulation of the residue left behind, slowing draining or even resulting in yet another clog.
While some still express doubt, it is entirely true that hydro jetting will remove all blockage in your pipes. This is because the intense pressure is more than sufficient to flush out even the smallest dust particles.
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Affordability
Compared to other pipe cleaning techniques, hydro jetting is far cheaper. Additionally, Hydro Jetting helps you avoid additional difficulties like recurring clogs, broken pipes, waste blockages, and other problems that might call for more frequent maintenance. You also save money by implementing the use of more involved plumbing methods like drywall-breaking and pipe-opening. Additionally, by using a camera to inspect the pipe beforehand, the plumber can identify further problems and address them before they get out of hand.
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Increased Mobility and Adaptability
Using Hydro Jetting ensures that all the components of your plumbing system can be accessed by a plumber without requiring them to break through walls or dig a hole. This is safer, especially if your house is older or your plumbing may be more difficult to reach, delicate, and unstable. Additionally, while hydro jetting uses high water pressure, it is still generally safe and does not harm pipelines. And it basically involves strategies that are less problematic with older plumbing, which could be tricky to handle.
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Fights Odor
Living in a smelly environment is a very frustrating experience, especially for homeowners. While other procedures may get rid of the clog, the chemicals involved in these processes can harm your drainage system and also accumulate and solidify in your pipes, giving off an offensive odor. This is unlike Hydro Jetting, which makes use of one essential component, water, and also removes odors and other particles that have become adhered to surfaces by enduring powerful, pressurized blasts of water.
Disadvantages of Sewer Jetting
Unsuitable for Fragile Pipelines
Sewer pipes become brittle as they age, making them prone to breaks and cracks.
Accordingly, pipes in certain conditions and ages shouldn’t be hydro jetted since the Hydro Jetting pressure of 7500 PSI might cause significant damage to them. You run a risk of incurring more costs and having a bigger issue at hand if this occurs.
Only for Professionals
Hydro jetting is one task that you cannot do by yourself. The tools and expertise required to hydro jet your pipes without causing serious damage can only be obtained from skilled specialists.
Excessive Water Usage
A lot of water is used in hydro jetting.
Indeed, we mentioned earlier that hydro jetting is an environmentally friendly method. While it uses only water, the excessive water it consumes could be an issue and, as such, makes it a less ideal option, especially for clearing obstacles during a drought.
Signs that You Need Hydro Jetting
Noisy Pipes
Immediately, you begin to hear screeching and hissing sounds when you flush. You can be sure that the vent stack of your system is clogged. This is a tell-tale sign which indicates the presence of unwelcome air in the plumbing system. The vent stack is the conduit that connects the sewer system to the roof, allowing toxic gases to escape while maintaining constant water pressure.
In this situation, it is best to employ the services of a plumber for thorough cleaning of the vent stack.
Smelly Pipes
Although we don’t necessarily expect pipes to smell like flowers, a really bad odor, to the point of being unbearable, is a sure indication of a leak, possibly brought on by extreme pressure from a blockage.
It could be that a clogged drain line that typically pushes trash and water out is clogged, leading to an accumulation of material that eventually begins to pass off the foul smell.
Old Pipes
Many older homes contain cast iron, copper, brass, or steel supply, and drain pipes. While the majority of metal pipes have a lifespan of up to 80 years, others do not and might reach their maximum efficiency much sooner and, as such, need to be hydro-jetted to maintain their functionality.
Go to our Hydrojetting Service Page here: https://ogradyplumbing.com/services/hydrojet-root-removal/
Application of Hydro Jetting for Residences
Hydro jetting involves high-pressure plumbing, and to force water through blocked pipes, the procedure involves inserting into the pipes a high-pressure water hose with a specialized nozzle. The jets of water that blast forward dislodges any debris obstructing the pipes as the hydro jet moves through the pipes. While the backwash of water drives the remaining debris down the pipes, rearward-facing sprays scrape off leftover materials from the pipe’s walls.
The water pressure of Hydro Jetting for residential places is normally set at roughly 1,500 pounds per square inch but can be set to reach as high as 5,000. This totally depends on the degree of the blockage and the overall condition of the pipes. In comparison, a standard firefighter’s fire hose only shoots water at roughly 300 psi. So, Hydro Jetting is unquestionably a task for a professional plumber.
Since the fundamental methods of Hydro Jetting are rather straightforward, it is much easier to adjust the procedure to accommodate the demands of just about any residential property.
Also, Hydro Jetting can be used on any pipe regardless of the material it is made of, be it concrete, copper, steel, clay, PVC, or cast iron.
However, before the beginning of the Hydro Jetting process, a video inspection is to be carried out to check for any damage that may have already occurred to the pipe. And because the water being flushed down has a tremendous amount of force, it might also be necessary to adjust the pressure to prevent damage to weaker portions.
Application of Hydro Jetting for Commercial Properties
You have a lot to handle, whether you’re a business owner or a landlord that oversees tenants on a commercial property. This includes running the business, attending to complaints and requirements of customers, and, of course, managing the building. Managing the building includes handling the plumbing system.
Unfortunately, it is difficult and beyond the capabilities of the average businessperson to properly maintain such a plumbing system, and because drains and sewage systems are mostly concealed from view, issues may arise and continue without your knowledge—that is, until they start to affect the plumbing system’s functionality.
Hydro jetting might be regarded by most people as a relatively new addition to the conventional techniques for cleaning business drains, but it has undoubtedly been quite successful. The processes are very similar to Hydro Jetting a residential building, except that in some cases, higher pressure is required than in the former.
Hydro Jetting vs Pressure Washing: The Difference
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Hydro Jetting Machine Specifications
Both hydro jetters and pressure washers are equipped with a pump, an engine, and a pressure control mechanism. However, this is essentially where their similarities end.
A hydro jetter has some extra features like a pressure gauge to help with adjustments, a pulsation valve to generate hose shaking when necessary, a hose reel with enough continuous length of jetting line, and numerous jetting nozzles, and a way to turn the flow to the nozzle on and off.
Larger sizes also have a water tank to provide the right amount of water for the entire unit as well as to keep the pump cold for extended periods.
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Flow
The flow of a hydro jetter is also different from that of a pressure washer. Most pressure washers have a flow rate ranging from 2.5 to 4 GPM. Jetters, on the other hand, begin at 4 GPM and can increase to 8 to 9 GPM for portable units. They can reach up to 18 to 25 GPM for those units that are mounted on trailers.
More GPM can be required for harder tasks like cleaning up oil and tree roots.
Hydro Jetting vs Drain Snaking
Prior to the availability of Hydro Jetting, drain snaking, which includes utilizing a long rope with an auger at the end of it, was the most commonly used method for clearing obstructions in drains.
The auger is used to drill through the obstruction once the snake has been put into the drain up to the point where it encounters the obstruction. It is a method that removes blockage by poking holes in the obstruction.
Although drain snaking is still employed as one of the methods of removing obstructions today, Hydro Jetting has since replaced it as the preferred choice due to its more advanced ability to properly clean the complicated and expansive plumbing systems in both residential and commercial buildings. [2]
Differences Between Drain Snaking and Hydro Jetting
If you are looking for a swift cleaning of the obstruction in your sewer, then drain snaking is probably the better alternative of the two.
Hydro While jetting is strongly advised for thorough drain cleaning, it might take longer to accomplish.
Drain snaking is best suited for small obstructions, such as removing an object trapped in the drain. These are blockages that your plunger is unable to remove.
On the other hand, if you have a bigger obstruction, something more serious than a mere accumulation of hair in your pipes, it is best to use Hydro Jetting.
While drain snaking can warn you of the presence of a serious blockage, like a tree root in your pipes, its method of poking a hole in the obstruction might not do much to help. For the removal of those sorts of blockages, it is best to opt for Hydro Jetting.
Snaking is often termed a temporary fix for combating blockages as it does not completely clear your pipes.
On the other hand, hydro jetting not only removes blockages but also cleans your plumbing lines of debris that has accumulated on the walls of your pipes.
Although hydro jetting can remove nearly any blockage, it is not a DIY solution. It is best to have a professional plumber handle the hydro jetting process.
Drain snaking is not that complicated and can be done by just about anyone with the right equipment, which is easily found in stores and does not necessarily require special expertise.
Hydro Jetting Cost
Hydro jetting cost runs from an average of $250 to $1,000. This is, however, dependent on the severity of the blockage, the state of the walls of your pipes, where you live, and other factors. It is very difficult to arrive at a correct estimation of how much Hydro Jetting will cost without a proper analysis of the precise requirements of your pipes.
Hydro jetting may cost as little as $150 for much simpler drain cleaning tasks that remove a small obstacle that is still within easy reach or in lower-income communities.
When considering Hydro Jetting your pipes or as the first attempt at sewer line repair, it is best to consult a drain cleaning business to evaluate your piping system. They are in the best position to provide you with an estimate of what you should anticipate paying for the procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is Hydro Jetting better than Snaking?
Both snaking and hydro jetting increase drainage velocity and remove common obstructions. Hydro jetting, on the other hand, is a more effective and adaptable technique for cleaning sewers. Hydro jetting not only clears obstructions but also reduces the greasy and mineral buildup that occurs naturally inside every sewage line.
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Does Hydro Jetting work on roots?
Yes. Your pipes can be successfully cleared of roots by using hydro jetting. The tree roots clogging your system will be removed from the pipes by the intensely pressured water blast, which will also break them down and wash them out.
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Can I perform my own Hydro Jetting?
The primary factor preventing you from handling Hydro Jetting yourself is safety. The safety of both you and your pipes
The water that emerges from the nozzle has a minimum pressure of 7500 psi and this can get considerably higher.
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How much psi do sewer jetters require?
The normal pressure for sewer jetters is 1500 psi but could go as high as 5,000 psi, which is approximately 20 gallons per minute, all depending on the degree of obstruction.
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Is Hydro Jetting worthwhile?
The main benefit of hydro jetting is that it is safe for your pipes.
Hydro jetting, when performed by a qualified expert who know how to properly use the hydro jetting machine, can safely and effectively get rid of the debris in your pipes, improve the flow of water and waste, increase the durability of your pipes, and lower the cost of pipe maintenance.
References
- Everything You Need to Know about Hydro Jetting. https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/apartmentliving/tips-tricks-renters/hydro-jetting/
- Hydrojetting Pros and Cons. https://sewerpros.com/hydro-jetting-pros-and-cons/
