When a backed-up main needs jetting tonight
A main line that has filled up cannot wait for morning, because the water in it has nowhere to go but back into your house. If a basement floor drain or the lowest tub is bubbling or rising, stop using every fixture. That means no flushing, no washer, no dishwasher and no showers.
Keep people and pets out of any water on the floor, and move rugs and boxes off the slab if you can do it safely. Then call. We schedule the visit any hour, with same-day appointments when available, and we decide on the phone whether a cable can do the job or the line needs the force of a jet.
- Sewage or gray water rising in a floor drain, tub or shower.
- Toilets that bubble when the washer drains.
- A cable cleaning that opened the line, then it clogged again within weeks.
- A kitchen line that runs slow every time even after snaking.
Jetting or snaking: how the choice gets made
A cable, also called a snake, bores a hole through a clog. It works well on a sock, a wad of hair or a single root mass. The trouble is that the pipe wall keeps its coating, so the hole closes up again as grease and scale keep building.
A jet uses water at high pressure through a hose with a nozzle that shoots backward and forward. The water cuts the clog loose and scrubs the full circle of the pipe on the way out. Because it reaches the walls, it is the better choice for greasy, scaled or root-packed lines.
| Problem | Cable | Hydro jetting |
|---|---|---|
| One-time clog from paper or hair | Usually enough | More than the job needs |
| Grease packed along a kitchen or restaurant-style line | Opens a channel only | Strips the grease off the walls |
| Fine roots at a joint | Cuts the core, roots regrow | Clears the root hairs in the pipe |
| Heavy scale in older cast iron or clay | Slow and scrapes unevenly | Removes loose scale, but not a damaged pipe |
| Repeat backups every few months | Temporary fix | Resets the pipe, then a camera finds the cause |
A licensed plumber is on the 24/7 line now. Call before the backup reaches more floor.
Call (855) 575-2890What happens during a jetting visit
We want a look inside before we put a high-pressure hose into any line. A camera pass tells us the pipe material and whether it can take the pressure, and it shows what we are about to clear.
- Look before jetting. A quick camera view shows pipe material, sags and breaks, because cracked or collapsed pipe should not be blasted.
- Open the access point. The cleanout is the usual entry, and we set the hose so the discharge stays inside the pipe.
- Set pressure and nozzle. We pick them for the pipe size, wall condition and what is in the line, not one setting for every house.
- Run the line in passes. The nozzle pulls itself downstream, then we draw it back slowly so the water scrubs the pipe wall.
- Confirm with water and camera. We flow water through, check nearby fixtures and look again to make sure the line is open.
What hydro jetting cannot fix
Jetting cleans a pipe. It does not repair one. A line with a crushed section, a belly that holds water or a joint that has slipped apart will clog again, because the problem is in the shape of the pipe and not what is stuck in it.
A badly corroded cast iron pipe can also be too fragile for high pressure, which is another reason we look first. If the camera shows damage, we say so plainly and go over sewer line repair options with you before anything else is done.
Jetting also does not stop roots for good. It clears them back to the pipe wall, and if a joint is open they grow in again. A hard root problem usually ends in a repair or lining, not a yearly jet.
What hydro jetting costs in Hazelwood
National cost guides put a badly clogged main line that needs jetting at roughly $300 to $800 or more. Another national figure for jetting a main sits at $250 to $800, and across sources the spread runs about $250 to $1,400.
Those are national ranges, not a local quote. We give a clear price before work starts, once we know what is in the line.
A sudden sewer backup is sometimes covered by a separate endorsement on a homeowner policy. Ask your insurer before you throw away damaged items, and take photos first.
Hazelwood sewers, roots and who owns the pipe
Hazelwood is served by the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, and MSD maintains the public sewers. The private lateral from your house to the public main is generally the owner's responsibility. Confirm your own case with MSD at 314-768-6260 before you pay for work on the street side of the line.
That matters for jetting, because a clog in the lateral is usually yours to clear, while a problem out in the public main is MSD's. If we find the blockage past your property line, we show you the camera footage so you can take it to MSD. Heavy jetting repeated on a failing lateral is money wasted, so the footage also tells you whether to repair it.
Drain slope is set by the drainage chapters of the International Plumbing Code (IPC), and no amount of jetting fixes a line that sags below that slope. When a camera shows a belly, jetting only buys time, and a repair is the lasting answer.
Keeping a jetted line clear
A line that has just been scoured stays open only as long as the grease and wipes stay out of it. Pour cooking fat into a can, scrape plates into the trash and keep wipes out of the toilet. Those three habits do more for a main line than any additive.
If you want the whole lateral looked at, or the cause of repeat backups found, see sewer camera inspection or drain cleaning for a lighter clog. For homes in the Florissant area, our Florissant plumbing page lists the services we run there.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call, tell us which drains are backing up and keep water off in the house. We offer same-day appointments when available.
It depends on the clog. A cable is fine for a simple blockage, while jetting is better for grease, scale and roots because the water cleans the full pipe wall. We pick one after hearing the symptoms and, when possible, seeing the line.
On sound pipe at the right pressure, no. Cracked, collapsed or badly corroded pipe can be damaged by high pressure, which is why we check the pipe with a camera before we jet and set the pressure for what we find.
National cost guides show about $300 to $800 or more for a severe main line clog, and roughly $250 to $1,400 across sources. Those are national figures. We state a clear price before work starts.
MSD maintains the public sewers, and the owner is generally responsible for the lateral to the main. Confirm your situation with MSD at 314-768-6260.
If grease or buildup caused it, a jetted line stays clear for a long time with good habits. If a crushed or sagging pipe caused it, the clog will return until the pipe is repaired, and a camera inspection shows which one you have.
Questions about your situation? A licensed plumber is on the line any hour.
Call (855) 575-2890