What this service solves
Hydro jetting sends a controlled stream of high-pressure water through a specialized nozzle to clean the inside of the pipe. Instead of only opening a path through the blockage, jetting washes grease, soft buildup, sludge, soap film, and root debris from the pipe wall so the line can drain more freely.
This is the difference between unclogging a drain and cleaning a drain. Cable cleaning can restore flow, but a grease- or sludge-coated pipe can still have most of the original problem stuck to the pipe wall. Hydro jetting is designed to remove more of that material and leave the line cleaner.
Hydro jetting still needs to be used with judgment. Some fragile or damaged pipes should be inspected first, and some broken lines need repair rather than more pressure. We match the nozzle and pressure to the pipe, the access, and the type of blockage.
When hydro jetting includes a sewer camera inspection
There is one important rule to know up front. Main-line hydro jetting always includes a sewer camera inspection with the service. We use the camera to target the problem more effectively before and during the work, then show you the condition of the pipe after it is cleaned.
Hydro jetting other drain types, such as a kitchen sink line, laundry line, or other branch drain, does not automatically include a camera inspection. If you want a scope on a smaller line, we can arrange it, but it is a separate step rather than an automatic part of the service.
Hydro jetting for grease lines and commercial kitchens
Hydro jetting is especially useful on grease-heavy commercial kitchen lines because it washes more buildup from the pipe wall than cable cleaning alone. Restaurants, cafeterias, care facilities, bars, convenience stores, and office-building kitchens can all develop grease and sludge problems that return unless the line is cleaned more thoroughly.
If the grease trap, inlet line, outlet line, or floor drain is part of the problem, hydro jetting may be paired with grease trap service or a maintenance schedule.
Signs you should call
- The same line keeps backing up after cable cleaning
- Grease or sludge is heavy in the pipe
- A restaurant or commercial kitchen drain is slow
- Camera footage shows buildup along the pipe wall
- You want preventive cleaning before a busy season
How the service call works
- Review the history of the backup and pipe condition
- Use camera inspection when pipe condition is uncertain or when jetting a main line
- Choose the proper nozzle and pressure for the line
- Hydro jet the line to wash buildup downstream
- On main lines, camera the pipe to confirm it is clean
When hydro jetting is the better drain cleaning method
Hydro jetting is strongest when the pipe is coated with grease, sludge, sand, soft roots, or heavy buildup that a cable can open but not fully wash away. A cable can create a path for water, but high-pressure water cleaning scours more of the pipe wall so the line has a better chance of staying open.
For main sewer line hydro jetting, Maki Sewer and Drain includes a sewer camera inspection with the service. The camera helps target the problem before and during cleaning, then lets you see the condition of the line after the work is done.
Related: sewer camera inspection, commercial drain cleaning, and grease trap service.