Drains that keep coming back after they were snaked
Many homeowners describe it the same way: a plumber cleared the line, it ran fine for a few weeks, and then the sink or tub slowed again. The cable cut a hole through the blockage but left the coating on the pipe wall. The fix that removes the coating itself is called hydro jetting.
What hydro jetting is
Hydro jetting sends water through a hose at very high pressure and out of a nozzle that points both forward and back. The forward jets break up the blockage. The rear jets scour the wall and pull the hose along the pipe, flushing debris toward the cleanout or the main.
A cable pushes through a clog. A jetter washes the whole inside of the pipe. That difference is why jetting suits grease, scale and silt, and why it often holds longer than cabling. Our drain cleaning page covers the cable work that comes first on simpler jobs.
Backup or gurgling: when jetting is urgent
Jetting turns into an emergency call when the line is backing up into the house. A main that will not carry water can push sewage into a tub or floor drain within hours. We staff the 24/7 line with that in mind.
If the line is backing up
Keep the water off and the floor clear while the plumber is on the way.
- Stop running water anywhere in the house, including laundry and dishwasher.
- Keep children and pets away from any water that came up through a drain.
- Do not use chemical opener. It stays in the pipe and can splash back at the person working.
- Note which drains are affected and whether a toilet gurgles when another fixture runs.
- If the water smells like gas rather than sewage, leave the building and call the gas utility or 911 before calling us.
After hours we still make the call the same way. The dispatcher asks where the water is showing and sends a licensed, insured plumber with a jetter and a camera. You hear the price before work starts.
Signs the line needs jetting rather than another cabling
Grease lining
A kitchen line with a thick, white-to-tan coat inside. Cabling opens a path and the coating regrows.
Mineral scale
Rough buildup on the pipe wall that narrows the opening, common in older metal drain lines.
Roots in the joints
Fine roots that grow through the joints in a clay or older line. A cutter takes the mass, the jet washes out the rest.
Slow drains throughout
Every fixture is slow and cabling only helps for a short time.
Sewer smell at drains
A persistent odor from drains, even after the traps are full, can come from residue in the line.
Restaurant or large household flow
A kitchen line with a big household and a disposal collects more than a lightly used one. Heavy flow means heavier buildup.
Why lines in Royal Palm Beach build up
The Village is served by Palm Beach County Water Utilities for sewer, and the public main in the street is theirs. What clogs is usually on your side of the connection: grease from the kitchen, soap and hair from bathrooms, and wipes. Ask PBCWUD at (561) 740-4600 where its pipe ends and yours begins.
Roots matter too. Yards in Royal Palm Beach are planted with trees whose roots look for the moisture inside a drain line. Any crack or open joint becomes an entry point, and a jetter alone will not seal it.
How a hydro jetting visit works
- 1
Camera first
We run a camera to see what is in the line and whether it is safe to jet. A cracked or collapsed pipe is not jetted.
- 2
Set up at the cleanout
The hose goes in through a cleanout. If the house has none we discuss the safest access before anything is pulled.
- 3
Jet in passes
We work out and back, stepping the pressure to suit the pipe material. Debris is flushed to a point we can capture or let drain.
- 4
Check the result
A second camera pass shows the clean wall. We show you the footage and tell you what we saw.
Hydro jetting versus cabling and other options
Hydro jetting
- Scrubs the whole pipe wall
- Good against grease, scale and silt
- Often lasts longer between visits
- Needs a sound pipe and good access
Cable or auger
- Fast for a soft or local clog
- Lower cost on simple jobs
- Leaves a coating on the pipe wall
- Can snag or tear in a damaged pipe
We recommend the cheaper tool whenever it will do the job. If a cable would clear the blockage and the line is otherwise clean, we say so.
Jetting for sewer mains and cleaning before repair
A main line that is slow can be jetted from the cleanout to the street connection. Jetting also prepares a pipe for inspection, since a camera cannot see through scale. After a repair or pipe lining, a clean line is the starting point. See sewer line cleaning for how main-line clogs are handled.
What jetting cannot do
We do not jet a pipe we believe is cracked, offset or collapsed. Water at jet pressure can make a weak pipe worse, and it can drive water into soil around a break. In those cases we recommend the camera and a repair plan, and we explain the options.
Jetting also does not replace a repair. It clears the line, but a root-filled joint or a sagging pipe will clog again until the underlying problem is fixed.
Jetting costs more than a cable because of the equipment and time. The number depends on these factors.
Pipe size and length
A short branch is quick. A long main from the house to the street needs more hose and more passes.
What is inside
Soft grease clears quickly. Hard scale or packed roots need slower work.
Access
A cleanout near the wall makes it simple. Without one, we may need to pull a toilet or cut in a new access.
Camera pass
A camera before and after is part of doing the job right. We tell you if it is included or added.
Hour of the call
A night or weekend visit can cost more than a weekday one. You hear the price on the phone first.
Insurance rarely covers cleaning a line, though some policies help with water damage from a backup. Call the 24/7 line and we will give you a clear price before work starts.
Call the 24/7 line. A licensed, insured plumber with a jetter can be scheduled the same day when available.
Public main versus your pipe
The county owns the sewer main under the street. The pipe from your house to the main sits on your property, and PBCWUD can tell you where its part ends.
Homes south of Southern Blvd
Addresses south of Southern Blvd are served by Wellington Utilities at (561) 791-4010, and we also serve Wellington homes. Ask the utility where a clog crosses from private to public pipe.
Sources and standards
Jetting is a cleaning method, not a code item, but any pipe repair that follows it is held to the Florida Building Code, Plumbing, 8th Edition (2023). Ask Palm Beach County Water Utilities, the sewer provider named on the Village of Royal Palm Beach website, where its responsibility ends at your property line.
Royal Palm Beach hydro jetting questions
Do you handle hydro jetting emergencies at night or on weekends in Royal Palm Beach?
Yes. Our line runs 24/7, including nights and weekends. If a main line is backing up into your home, call and tell the dispatcher which drains are affected so the right equipment goes out.
Why do my drains slow down again a few weeks after being cleared?
The cable opened a channel but left residue on the pipe wall. That residue narrows the pipe again as grease and soap collect. Jetting removes the coating, so the line stays open longer.
Is hydro jetting safe for older pipes?
It depends on the pipe. A camera first tells us whether the wall is sound. We do not jet cracked, collapsed or badly offset pipe.
Will jetting remove tree roots?
It clears roots inside the pipe. It does not fix the crack where they came in, so roots can return. We show you where they enter on the camera.
Can jetting fix a sewer smell?
Sometimes. If the odor comes from residue in the line, a clean pipe helps. A dry trap or a vent problem has a different cause, and the camera helps sort it out.
How is jetting different from snaking?
Snaking pushes a cable through a clog. Jetting uses high-pressure water to wash the pipe wall. Jetting is usually used for grease, scale and repeat clogs.
Question not answered here? Call the 24/7 line at (561) 448-8545 and talk to a plumber.