What hydro jetting does that a cable cannot
A cable breaks through a clog and leaves a channel. Hydro jetting uses a hose with a rotating nozzle that sprays water against the pipe wall at high pressure. The water cuts grease, flushes loose scale and shreds soft root growth, then carries all of it downstream.
If your drain keeps clogging weeks after cabling, or your sewer line is backing up because grease has built up in layers over years, jetting is the repair that treats the cause. It is available around the clock for backups, and it can also be scheduled as maintenance for restaurants, rentals and homes with a history of problems.
Call right away if
These signs mean the pipe needs more than a plunger.
- Multiple fixtures are draining slowly or backing up at the same time.
- A previous cable cleaning only worked for a few weeks.
- Water or sewage is rising at a floor drain or in the lowest tub.
- A camera has shown grease, scale or root mass in the line.
Jetting compared with cabling
Cabling
- Fast, lower cost for a simple clog.
- Good for opening a fully blocked line first.
- Can snag and scratch some pipe if the wrong head is used.
- Leaves coating on pipe walls.
Hydro jetting
- Washes the whole pipe interior.
- Treats grease, scale and soft roots.
- Needs a known pipe condition first.
- Often follows a camera check.
When jetting is not the right call
Water at this pressure is not for every pipe. A cracked, collapsed or heavily offset line can be damaged further, or can leak water into the soil. For that reason we usually run a camera before jetting a line we have not seen. If the camera shows a break, we plan sewer line repair instead.
Older cast iron and clay lines may be too fragile for high settings. We adjust pressure and nozzle to the pipe. In some old cast iron lines, mechanical descaling is safer. That is why we ask what the pipe is made of, when it was built and whether it has been cleaned before.
| Pipe material | Jetting suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PVC or ABS plastic | Good | Common in newer Saratoga homes, handles jetting well. |
| Cast iron, sound | Good with lower pressure | Strips rust scale, camera follow-up recommended. |
| Cast iron, flaking or thin | Use caution | Mechanical descaling may be safer. |
| Vitrified clay | Depends on joint condition | Camera first to check for offsets and roots. |
| Orangeburg (tar paper) | Not recommended | Deforms and collapses easily. |
Where grease and roots hit Saratoga homes
Kitchen grease is a quiet problem in houses with long laterals. The fat cools and hardens in the pipe far from the sink, then catches wipes and paper. A hillside lot with a long run to the connection gives grease more distance to settle. Large trees along the lateral give roots more places to enter.
Part of Saratoga is served by West Valley Sanitation District, according to the Santa Clara County LAFCO service review. Jetting your own lateral will not clear a blockage in the public main, but it will tell us whether the problem is yours. If a street-wide backup is suspected, we tell you to call the sewer agency.
Camera look first
We view the line when possible so we know the pipe is sound enough to jet.
Open the line
If the line is fully blocked, we cable it first to give the jetter a path.
Jet in passes
The nozzle works forward and backward through the pipe, stripping the walls in passes.
Camera confirmation
A second camera run shows the cleaned interior so you can see the result.
Insurance usually does not cover jetting as maintenance. Sudden backup damage may be covered, depending on your policy. Keep camera footage and invoices.
Need a pipe scoured clean?
Call to describe the problem. We will tell you if jetting fits or if a camera check should come first.
Related services and areas
For a one-fixture clog, drain cleaning is the starting point. For regular scheduled care of a main line, see sewer line cleaning. We jet lines across Saratoga 95070 and in Los Gatos 95030 and 95032. Our Los Gatos page describes the area.
Common Questions
Yes. Our line is answered 24/7. If your main line is blocked, a crew can cable it first and jet it if the pipe is sound.
It depends on the condition. We usually check a line with a camera first and adjust pressure to the pipe. Fragile cast iron and clay lines may need other methods.
A snake breaks through a clog. A jetter washes the walls of the pipe and removes the buildup the clog formed on.
It varies. Homes with a history of grease or root problems may benefit from jetting every year or two. A camera check after jetting shows how quickly buildup returns.
It shreds soft roots and flushes them out. Thick roots usually need cutting first. Roots return unless the joints are sealed, such as by lining.
It can, which is why we check first. A crack or offset can leak water into the soil or worsen under pressure.
Yes. Kitchen branch lines coated with grease are a common use for jetting.
Most visits take one to three hours, depending on line length, buildup and whether camera runs are included.