Hydro Jetting for Drains and Sewer Lines
Snaking pokes a hole through a clog; hydro jetting washes the whole pipe. A hose with a rear-facing nozzle pulls itself through the line and sprays water at high pressure against the pipe walls, stripping off grease, soap scum, mineral scale and fine roots, then flushing the debris downstream. Oasis Plumbers runs a camera through the line first, so the pressure and nozzle match the pipe you actually have.
Camera look before any jetting · Pressure set for the pipe material · Licensed plumbers
When hydro jetting is the right call
- A kitchen line that clogs every few months from grease, even after snaking
- Root hair growing back into a sewer line soon after it was cut
- Hard-water scale narrowing cast-iron drains
- Sludge and sand left in a line after a backup
- Before a sewer line is lined, so the liner bonds to a clean pipe wall
- Restaurants and shops with grease-heavy waste lines
Hydro jetting or snaking?
| Cable machine (snake) | Hydro jetting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Bores or cuts a path through the blockage | Scours the full inside wall of the pipe |
| Best on | Solid clogs, wipes, a single root ball | Grease, scale, sludge, fine root growth |
| How long the result lasts | Buildup left on walls can close the line again | Longer, because the walls are cleaned |
| Pipe condition needed | Works in most pipes | Pipe must be intact – checked by camera first |
Many jobs use both: cable first to open the line, then jetting to clean it.
Is hydro jetting safe for old pipes?
Usually, when the pressure is matched to the pipe. Problems happen when a crew jets a line blind. That’s why we film it first:
| What the camera shows | What we do |
|---|---|
| Sound ABS, PVC or cast iron with buildup | Jet at normal pressure |
| Thin, flaking cast iron or orangeburg | Lower pressure and a gentler nozzle, or no jetting |
| Cracked clay with roots at the joints | Cut roots, jet carefully, then talk about lining or repair |
| Collapsed or broken section | No jetting – see sewer line repair |
When jetting is the wrong tool
- The pipe has collapsed or has a hole – water can wash soil into the line.
- Roots have crushed the pipe rather than grown through joints.
- The clog is a solid object such as a toy or a phone; it has to be retrieved.
What happens on a jetting visit
- Camera inspection from the cleanout to see the material, condition and cause.
- Choose nozzle and pressure for that pipe.
- Jet from the cleanout toward the street, pulling back slowly to scour the walls.
- Film the line again so you see the before and after.
No cleanout? We can jet through a roof vent or a pulled toilet, or install a cleanout first.
What hydro jetting costs depends on
- Length of line and whether there’s a usable cleanout
- Kitchen branch only, or the full sewer lateral
- How heavy the grease, scale or root growth is
- Whether camera footage before and after is included
Hydro jetting questions
What is hydro jetting?
Hydro jetting cleans a drain or sewer pipe with water sprayed at high pressure from a nozzle that travels through the line. It scours grease, scale and fine roots off the walls instead of only opening a path through the clog.
Is hydro jetting safe for old pipes?
In most intact pipes, yes. A camera inspection first shows thin cast iron, cracked clay or broken sections, so the pressure can be lowered or jetting skipped where the pipe can’t take it.
Is hydro jetting better than snaking?
For grease, scale and sludge it lasts longer, because it cleans the full pipe wall. For a solid object or a single root ball, a snake is often faster. Many jobs combine the two.
How often should a sewer line be hydro jetted?
Most homes only need it when there is a problem. Lines with grease or root issues are often jetted every one to two years until the pipe is repaired.
Can hydro jetting remove tree roots?
It strips fine root growth from joints. Thick roots are usually cut with a cable cutter first, and roots will return until the joints are sealed by lining or repair.
How long does hydro jetting take?
A typical home sewer line takes one to three hours, including the camera inspection before and after.
Hydro jetting in LA and Orange County
Jetting visits are booked through the office nearest the property:
Los Angeles County
- Sunland — 8348 Foothill Blvd, Sunland, CA 91040 · (805) 883-6154
- Santa Monica — 701 Pico Blvd #551, Santa Monica, CA 90405 · (310) 818-7582
- Calabasas — 24025 Park Sorrento #430, Calabasas, CA 91302 · (818) 330-1138
Orange County
- Laguna Hills — 25272 McIntyre St #558, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 · (949) 635-7337
- Anaheim — 800 S Brookhurst St, Anaheim, CA 92804 · (714) 706-3926
Find out if jetting fits your line
Tell us how often the drain clogs and what kind of building it is. Call (888) 803-7895 or use the form, and we’ll start with a camera look.