What Is Drain Jetting And Why Is It Needed?

It’s tempting to buy a set of drain rods off Amazon or from a local DIY store, roll up our sleeves and do the job ourselves. 

Drain rods may only offer a temporary fix

But while drain rods may clear a path through the blockage – if it isn’t too severe – in many cases, they only partially clear the blockage. Often they will only return the drain to 30% efficiency or less and without the blockage completely cleared, it’s only a matter of time before the problem will return. Also, leaving a drain partially clogged will create other problems over time, including internal corrosion of iron pipes and increased strain on joints upstream from the blockage.

Drain-cleaner solutions can do more harm than good

With a wide range of drain unblocking chemicals lining the shelves of our supermarkets and hardware stores, its easy to be seduced into trying this method. After all, it’s quick (you just unscrew the cap, pour some down the drain, leave it for a while then flush it away), easy (no fiddling around with complicated drain rods) and hygienic (no having to clean the stinking drain rods afterwards).

But there is a problem, and that lies just exactly with how drain cleaning chemicals work. Most contain a blend of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), potassium hydroxide and aluminium oxide that produce hydrogen gas when they interact with water. This gas creates bubbles that dislodge the particles of the blockage and disperse them.

The problem is that while these chemicals are good at eating blockages, they just don’t know where to stop and will eventually start to eat through the drainpipe itself.

Drain jetting is best for short- and long-term drain efficiency

If you’re finding that recurring problems are costing you a lot of time or money on frequent drain clearing and maintenance, drain jetting may be the answer.

Drain jetting – also known as hydro jetting – works by pumping water through a high-pressure hose and specially designed nozzle that directs the water jet at an optimum angle and pressure to quickly clear stubborn blockages and mainline clogs.

As the hose can extend much further along the pipe, negotiate bends more easily and exert a greater force on the blockage than drain rods or plumbing snakes, drainage jetting is the obvious choice and can restore a flow efficiency of up to 95%.

Drain jetting is compatible with most types of drains and will work effectively on most blockages, including backed-up sewage or compacted hard-to-shift waste. Fat and grease, which can either create small ‘fatbergs’ in your drains or reduce flow efficiency by lining the pipes, also respond better to hydro jetting.

While jetting may be overkill for every time a drain is blocked, it may be the long-term solution to frequent problems and if a drainage system is prone to blockages it could be scheduled into a maintenance plan.