Jetting versus cabling
A cable bores a hole through a blockage. Water goes through again, so the drain seems fixed, but the grease or scale lining the pipe is still there and the line closes up again. Jetting uses high-pressure water to strip the wall back.
When jetting is the right call
- A kitchen line that blocks repeatedly: usually grease
- Scale build-up in older cast iron
- Fine root intrusion through joints
- A line being prepared for a camera survey or a lining repair
When it is not
Jetting is not suitable for every pipe. It can worsen damage in a cracked, collapsed or badly corroded line, so we inspect with a camera first if the line has failed more than once. If jetting is the wrong tool for your pipe, we tell you.
What jetting actually does
The jetter sends high-pressure water down the line through a nozzle that cuts forward and scours backward. It removes grease, scale and roots stuck to the pipe wall, rather than opening a hole through the middle as a cable does.
After jetting
We inspect the line with a camera again after jetting so you can see the cleaned pipe wall. If we find a crack or break that cleaning cannot fix, we explain the need for sewer line repair.
What is included
- A camera inspection before jetting
- High-pressure jetting of the affected line
- A camera inspection afterwards
- A recommendation if the pipe itself is damaged
- The work area cleaned up