High-pressure water jetting clears blockages completely, removes tree roots, and restores full pipe capacity without chemicals or excavation.
Hydro-jetting uses a specialised nozzle that delivers water at pressures between 3,000 and 5,000 PSI (pounds per square inch) into your drainage system. The high-pressure water cuts through blockages, strips grease and scale from pipe walls, and flushes debris out of the system entirely.
Unlike mechanical methods (electric eels/snakes) that punch a hole through a blockage, hydro-jetting cleans the full circumference of the pipe. This means the blockage is removed completely rather than temporarily displaced.
Hydro-jetting is recommended for tree root intrusion (cuts roots flush with the pipe wall), grease build-up in kitchen drains, scale and mineral deposits in older pipes, recurring blockages that return within months of clearing, pre-relining preparation (pipe must be clean before liner installation), and commercial kitchens with fat/oil accumulation.
It is not suitable for collapsed pipes, severely cracked pipes that may break under pressure, or pipes with insufficient structural integrity. A CCTV inspection before jetting confirms the pipe can handle the pressure safely.
An electric eel (drain snake) is a rotating cable that punches through blockages. It is effective for simple blockages but has limitations: it only clears a path the width of the cable head, it does not clean pipe walls, roots grow back quickly because the root mass is not fully removed, and grease re-accumulates rapidly on uncleaned pipe surfaces.
Hydro-jetting cleans the entire pipe interior, removes root mass more completely, strips grease and scale from walls, and provides a longer-lasting result. For recurring blockages, jetting typically extends the time between services by 3–5x compared to mechanical clearing alone.
A typical hydro-jetting service follows this sequence: CCTV inspection to assess pipe condition and identify the blockage, selection of appropriate nozzle and pressure for the pipe material and blockage type, jetting from a downstream access point working upstream, progressive clearing with multiple passes if required, final CCTV inspection to confirm the pipe is clear and undamaged, and a report with before/after footage.
Commercial properties — particularly restaurants, food processing facilities, and shopping centres — benefit from scheduled hydro-jetting as preventative maintenance. Regular jetting prevents emergency blockages, maintains compliance with trade waste requirements, and extends pipe lifespan by preventing corrosive build-up.
We offer scheduled jetting programs as part of our commercial maintenance plans, typically quarterly or six-monthly depending on the facility's drainage load.
A CCTV inspection is always performed first to assess pipe condition. If pipes are structurally compromised, we recommend alternative methods or repair before jetting.
Jetting typically provides 3–5 times longer between blockages because it removes the full build-up rather than just punching a hole through it.
Yes. The high-pressure water cuts roots flush with the pipe wall. For long-term root prevention, we recommend jetting followed by pipe relining.
Residential hydro-jetting typically ranges from $350–$800 depending on access, pipe length, and severity of the blockage. Commercial jobs are quoted individually.
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Clear blockages completely and restore full pipe capacity.