When a jetter beats a cable
- Kitchen and food-court lines coated with hardened fat
- Mains that seize up again within a month of being snaked
- Underground garage trench drains choked with winter road sand
- Long horizontal runs under slab in warehouse and industrial units
- Roots that have been cut but keep returning at a joint
How a jetting job is done
- Locate access. We find a cleanout close to the problem section, or use a roof vent on stacks.
- Camera first when we can. A quick look shows pipe material, sags and the extent of build-up.
- Choose the nozzle. Penetrating nozzles open a blockage; rotating and descaling heads clean the wall.
- Jet upstream. The jetter hose crawls uphill against the fall of the pipe, then is reeled in at walking pace while the spray drives sludge toward the sewer.
- Verify. A second camera pass confirms the pipe is clean and shows any defects that need repair.
What camera footage tells you
Video from inside the line is the best record you can have for a building. It shows cracks, offset joints, sagging sections and root intrusion, with the distance from the cleanout so a repair can be located from above. We share the footage and a short written summary so owners and managers can plan.
Planning around the building
- Early-morning or overnight work for restaurants and retail
- Notices for residents when stacks are jetted in condo buildings
- Floor protection and containment at indoor cleanouts
- Water use kept low upstream while we work
Keeping lines clean between visits
Strainers on floor sinks, regular interceptor pumping, and avoiding caustic drain products all help. For lines that have needed jetting more than once, a maintenance interval based on what the camera shows usually costs less than repeated emergency calls. Call to talk through the line that keeps giving you trouble.
Building types and the plumbing we handle
| Property | Typical work | More |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants & food courts | Interceptors, floor sinks, pre-rinse units | Read more |
| Offices & plazas | Flush valves, washrooms, small tank heaters | Read more |
| Condo & rental buildings | Risers, stacks, booster and sump pumps | Read more |
| Any metered service | RPZ and double check valve testing | Read more |
| Main and building drains | Jetting with before-and-after camera | Read more |
Before we book
- Opening hours and quiet windows
- Who approves the work
- Location of the main shut-off and cleanouts
- Any inspection or report deadlines
What you receive afterwards
- Written summary of the work
- Photos or camera footage where useful
- Test reports where a test was done
- Follow-up work listed separately
Quick answers
Is a jetter too rough for an old drain?
We dial pressure down for old cast iron and clay, and if the footage shows a pipe wall flaking apart we stop and talk about repair first.
Should every jetting visit include the camera?
Not always, but it is worth it on the first visit and whenever a line keeps blocking.