Definition
High-pressure water cleaning of drain and sewer pipe walls — scours grease and scale beyond what snaking opens.
How is hydro-jetting different from snaking?
A snake (cable machine) punches a hole through a blockage — effective, fast, and often all a simple clog needs. Hydro-jetting instead scours the full pipe wall with water at up to several thousand PSI, removing the grease film, soap scale, and root fragments a cable leaves behind. Clogs that keep returning in the same line are the classic jetting candidate.
Is hydro-jetting safe for older pipes?
That is exactly why a camera inspection comes first. Sound cast iron, ABS, and PVC handle jetting well; a pipe that is already cracked, bellied, or root-crushed needs repair, not pressure. The camera also proves what caused the backup — so you are fixing the actual problem instead of renting relief until the next rainstorm.
What does hydro-jetting cost?
Typically $600–$1,500 for a residential line in our market, with a camera inspection ($250–$500) often bundled to verify the pipe's condition first and prove the result after. Compare that against paying for the same snaking visit every year — for recurring grease or root problems, one thorough cleaning is usually the cheaper pattern.
In the Puget Sound
Root intrusion is the Puget Sound's signature sewer problem — our big conifers and old clay or concrete side sewers are a famous combination, especially in Seattle's pre-war neighborhoods.
Related terms
Go deeper on Hydro-jetting
Not sure what Hydro-jetting means for your home?
Ask the licensed team that works with it every day — clear answers and an upfront price before any work begins.
Trade: Plumbing