Hydro jetting is a drain cleaning method that sends high-pressure water through a hose and nozzle to scour grease, scale and roots off the inside of a pipe. It is the right call when a main drain backs up a second or third time, and our 24/7 line is open for those emergencies at night and on weekends.
If sewage is coming up in a tub or floor drain right now, stop running water, keep the washer off, and move anything valuable off the floor. Call (603) 815-9179 and tell the dispatcher how many fixtures are affected. A plumber can be scheduled for the same day when the schedule allows.
Jetting is not always the first tool. We often start with a camera or a cable to learn what the pipe looks like, then decide whether jetting is safe and worth the cost for your line.
What to do when a main line backs up tonight
A single slow sink is a daytime job. A backup in the lowest drain of the house is different, because the main line is full and everything upstream has nowhere to go.
- The basement floor drain or the lowest tub gurgles, rises or overflows when a toilet is flushed upstairs.
- A cable cleared the line last month or last week, and the same fixtures are backing up again.
- Wastewater smell comes from a floor drain, even when no water is running.
- A camera or a previous plumber found roots, grease or heavy scale in the main line.
If two or more of those match, jetting is likely the lasting fix and not another cable pass. Describe what you see to the dispatcher, and we will bring the jetter when the cause points that way.
What jetting does that a cable cannot
A cable is a spinning blade on a steel line. It cuts a channel through a clog, but the channel is only as wide as the cutting head. Grease and scale stay on the pipe wall and start collecting debris again.
A jetting nozzle fires streams of water forward to break up the blockage and backward to pull the hose along and wash the wall. The pipe leaves the job closer to its original bore. That is why jetting suits grease-heavy kitchen lines, scaled cast iron and root-filled mains.
| Method | Best for | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Hand auger | Sink and tub traps, short branch lines | Cannot reach the main line |
| Motorized cable | Single clogs, light roots | Leaves a narrow channel, grease remains |
| Hydro jetting | Grease, scale, heavy roots, repeat clogs | Needs a sound pipe and a cleanout or access point |
| Camera first | Unknown cause, repeat backups | Shows the problem but does not clear it |
Roots, grease and scale: matching the nozzle to the clog
Roots call for a cutting nozzle with angled jets that shave growth off the pipe joint. Grease calls for a warm, steady stream that melts and flushes the film. Scale on old cast iron calls for a rotating nozzle that chips mineral buildup loose.
We choose the nozzle after we see the pipe on camera. A root mat at a joint needs a different head than a grease collar below a kitchen tie-in. Using one nozzle for every job leaves part of the work undone.
Roots grow back toward a joint that still leaks, so a clean line is not a repaired line. If the camera shows a cracked or offset joint, we explain the repair options on our sewer line repair page.
When we do not jet
Jetting is not safe for every pipe. Water at several thousand psi can finish off a line that is already collapsed, split along its length or made of fiber conduit. We confirm the pipe condition on camera before the nozzle goes in.
Septic tank warning
If your home uses a septic system, repeated backups may come from a full tank, a clogged outlet baffle or a failing leach field. Jetting the house line will not fix any of those, and pushing water into a failed system can make the backup worse. We tell you when a septic pumper is the right next call.
We also decline to jet when the cleanout is missing or inaccessible and there is no safe way to control the hose. In that case we may recommend installing a cleanout first, which is a small job that makes every later visit easier.
Londonderry homes that benefit from jetting
Londonderry has a mix of properties on town sewer and properties on septic. Unsure which side of that line your address falls on? Public Works takes sewer questions at 603-432-1100, extension 460.
On a town sewer connection, jetting clears your private lateral up to the street. If the blockage sits in the town main, a camera shows that, and we direct you to Public Works. Wherever a mature tree stands near the lateral, in North Londonderry, Wilson or anywhere else in town, roots are the usual reason a line needs jetting.
What hydro jetting costs
Jetting is quoted before the hose is fed in. These factors drive the quote:
- Pipe length and diameter, from a 2 inch branch to a 4 inch main.
- Whether a cleanout exists or one must be installed.
- How much debris the line holds and how many passes it takes.
- A camera pass before and after the work.
- After-hours or weekend dispatch.
Homeowners insurance rarely pays for routine line cleaning, though some policies cover sudden water damage from a backup. Check with your agent. For your own number, call (603) 815-9179 and describe the symptoms.
Where we jet drains near Londonderry
We serve all of Londonderry and send jetting crews to Derry, Hudson and Manchester. For lighter clogs, start with our drain cleaning page, and for the pipe survey that comes before most jobs, see sewer inspection.
Jetting does not change your drain layout, but any cleanout we add follows the International Plumbing Code (IPC) as New Hampshire adopts it.
Questions we hear in Londonderry
Yes. A main line backing up into living space is urgent, so say so when you call (603) 815-9179. The dispatcher can book a same-day visit when the schedule allows.
On a sound pipe it does not. On a cracked, collapsed or very thin-walled line it can make things worse. That is why we run a camera first and decline to jet when the pipe cannot take it.
A snake cuts a channel through the clog. A jetter washes the full circumference of the pipe wall. Repeat clogs, grease and root regrowth are the cases where that difference shows up.
It depends on the cause. A grease line stays clear as long as grease stays out of the drain. A line with roots can fill again if a joint still leaks, and we tell you what the camera showed.
Jetting the house line is fine, but it does not treat the tank or the leach field. If backups continue after a clean line, the system itself needs inspection by a septic professional.
Usually yes, or at least a way to enter the line safely, such as a removed toilet or a vent access. If none exists, we can discuss installing a cleanout.