Everything a homeowner needs to know about drain jetting — before you need to call.
Drain jetting is not something most homeowners think about until they have a problem. Understanding what it is, when you need it, and how to choose a company before an emergency helps you make a better decision when the time comes.
What drain jetting is — and is not
Drain jetting (also called hydro jetting) uses high-pressure water to clear blockages and clean the interior walls of drain and sewer pipes. It is more thorough than snaking, which only creates an opening through the thickest buildup. It is not a pipe repair — structural failures (collapsed pipe, cracked sections) need a plumber.
What causes most drain problems
Grease buildup from cooking (accumulates over years in kitchen drain lines), root intrusion from trees near the sewer line (extremely common in Georgia), scale from mineral deposits, soap scum and hair in bathroom lines, and age-related deterioration of older pipe materials. The camera inspection identifies which you are dealing with.
The three most important things to know
1. Camera inspection should come first. Always. No reputable drain jetting company runs a jetter into a pipe they have not looked at. The camera tells us if it is a blockage we can clear or a structural problem that needs a plumber. Jetting a collapsed pipe makes things worse.
2. You should get the footage. Every time. The camera inspection video is documentation of what was in your pipes. Any company that charges extra for the footage or will not provide it is treating the inspection as a black box.
3. Recurring clogs are a signal. If you have had the same drain snaked more than once in a year, snaking is not fixing the problem — it is only clearing the thickest buildup temporarily. Jetting addresses the pipe wall buildup that snaking leaves behind.
How to choose a drain jetting company
Ask: Do you camera inspect before jetting? Do I get the footage? What happens if you find something you cannot fix? A company with honest answers to all three is the right choice. A company that skips the camera, charges extra for footage, or avoids the third question is not.
What to do when you have a drain emergency
If multiple drains are backing up simultaneously or sewage is coming up through a floor drain — stop running water. Every flush, every drain is adding more to a system that cannot pass it forward. Call for same-day service. Describe what is happening (which drains are affected, how quickly) so the technician knows what to expect.
Ready to get clear pipes? Call Sunburst Environmental at 678-799-4389 — same-day response across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Or request a free estimate online.