For most homeowners: every 1–3 years. For restaurants: every 1–3 months.
Residential drain jetting frequency depends on a few factors: how old your pipes are, whether you have mature trees near your sewer line, your household’s grease and food waste habits, and whether you have had recurring clogs. If you have had the same drain clogged twice in a year, that is a signal — jetting (and a camera look) makes more sense than snaking it again.
For commercial properties — especially restaurants, food service, and any business with high-volume drain use — the frequency goes way up. Grease builds fast. A restaurant line that has not been jetted in six months can have significant buildup. Many restaurants schedule quarterly or even monthly jetting as part of routine maintenance. It’s much cheaper than an emergency call at 6pm on a Friday.
The honest answer is: jet when you need to, based on what you are actually seeing. A camera inspection tells you exactly what is in your pipes. If a pipe looks clean, you do not need to jet it. If it has significant buildup, you do.
Questions about your pipes? Call Sunburst Environmental at 678-799-4389 — same-day response across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Or request a free estimate online.