Hydro Jetting for Clogs That Keep Coming Back
If your drain backs up every few months no matter how many times it gets snaked, you're not imagining it — and the snaking is part of why. A cable punches a hole through the clog about the width of its cutting head. Water flows again, so it looks fixed. But the grease, sludge, and roots coating the rest of the pipe are still there, narrowing the line until it clogs again.
Hydro jetting is different. It uses a high-pressure stream of water to scrub the entire inside wall of the pipe clean — not just poke a hole through the blockage. The result is a line that's actually clear, so the backups stop coming back instead of returning next season.
Hiawatha Sewer has cleared Twin Cities sewer lines since 1947. If you're tired of the same clog returning, Call us at 612-722-2212.
Both clear a drain, but they're not the same job, and the difference is why one lasts and one doesn't:
Snaking (cabling) sends a spinning blade down the line to cut through the blockage. It opens a channel about as wide as the blade — enough to get water moving again. What it leaves behind is the buildup coating the rest of the pipe.
Hydro jetting blasts high-pressure water across the full circumference of the pipe, stripping away grease, scale, sludge, and roots from the entire wall — restoring the line closer to its original diameter.
Here's what that actually means for you: when a cable only clears a path through years of grease, the pipe is still mostly clogged — so it fills back in fast, and you're calling a plumber again in a few months. Jetting removes the cause, not just the symptom, so you get off the repeat-backup treadmill.
Snaking Reopens the Line. Jetting Cleans It.
Signs Hydro Jetting Is What You Actually Need
Jetting isn't for every clog — a one-time blockage usually just needs a cleaning. It's the right call when the problem is buildup along the pipe, which shows up as:
Clogs that keep coming back after being snaked — the clearest sign the pipe walls are coated
Grease buildup, common in kitchen lines and older homes
Tree roots that have been growing in the line for years (the thick "wood roots" that a blade only trims)
Scale and hardened debris a cable can't break loose
Long sewer lines, where snaking the full run is slow and often incomplete
Commercial and restaurant lines, where grease and heavy daily use build up fast
If any of those sound like your situation, snaking will keep failing — and jetting is usually the thing that finally stops it.
"Isn't This Just an Upsell?"
Fair question — and the answer is how we do it. We don't jet by default. We run a camera inspection first to see what's actually in your line and to confirm the pipe is sound enough to handle the pressure. High-pressure water is powerful, and on already-fragile pipe — deteriorated clay, old Orangeburg, cracked cast iron common in older Twin Cities homes — jetting can do harm. So if your line doesn't need jetting, or shouldn't be jetted, we'll tell you, and we'll point you to the right fix instead. You only pay for jetting when it's genuinely the right call.
That's the whole reason to have someone who specializes in sewer lines make the call, rather than jetting everything that walks in the door.
Does Jetting Cost More Than Snaking?
Not the way most people assume. Yes, a single jetting visit can cost more than a single snaking. But two things flip that math:
For heavy roots or long lines, jetting can actually be cheaper. Snaking a long run or fighting years-old roots means adding cable length and time — which can cost more than jetting the line in the first place.
Repeat snaking adds up. If a cabled line clogs again every few months, you're paying for that visit over and over. Jetting solves the underlying buildup once, so you're not on a recurring bill.
The real comparison isn't "jetting vs. snaking today." It's "jetting once vs. snaking again, and again, and again."
Safe for Your Pipes — and No Chemicals
Because we camera the line first, we only jet pipe that can take it — no gambling with your sewer line. And jetting cleans with water alone: no caustic drain chemicals going into your plumbing or the ground. It's a thorough clean that doesn't come at the cost of your pipes or the watershed.
Residential and Commercial
Hydro jetting is one of the best tools for commercial and restaurant lines, where grease and heavy use cause fast, recurring buildup that disrupts business. We also jet residential main lines when buildup — not a one-time clog — is the real problem.
Areas We Serve
Hiawatha Sewer provides hydro jetting in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding communities, including Roseville, Bloomington, Richfield, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, New Brighton, Fridley, Columbia Heights, Falcon Heights, Robbinsdale, Crystal, Hopkins, and Edina.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need hydro jetting, or is snaking enough?
For a one-time clog, snaking is usually enough. If the same drain keeps clogging after it's been snaked, that's the sign the pipe walls are coated with buildup a cable can't remove — and jetting is what actually clears it so it stops coming back.
Is hydro jetting safe for my pipes?
On sound pipe, yes. On old or already-damaged pipe, high pressure can cause harm — which is why we camera the line first to confirm it can handle jetting before we do it. We won't jet a pipe that shouldn't be jetted.
Is jetting more expensive than snaking?
A single jetting can cost more than a single snaking, but for heavy roots or long lines it's often cheaper than the extra cable and time snaking takes — and it beats paying to snake the same clog every few months. Solved once usually costs less than reopened repeatedly.
Does hydro jetting remove tree roots?
Yes — jetting clears the thick roots that have grown in a line for years, which a blade only trims. If those roots are entering through a cracked joint, though, the camera will show it, and the real fix may be a repair rather than another cleaning.
Does it use chemicals?
No. Hydro jetting cleans with high-pressure water only — nothing caustic going into your pipes or the ground.
How often should a line be jetted?
It depends on use. A grease-heavy commercial line may benefit from a regular schedule; a home line usually only needs it when buildup is causing repeat backups. We'll give you a straight recommendation based on what the camera shows.
Call Hiawatha Sewer for Hydro Jetting
If the same clog keeps coming back no matter how many times it's snaked, the problem isn't the clog — it's the buildup snaking leaves behind. Hydro jetting clears the whole pipe so the backups stop.
We camera the line first to make sure jetting is the right call, then clean it thoroughly. Residential and commercial, across the Twin Cities. Third generation, since 1947.
Call now at 612-722-2212 or fill out the Request Service form and we'll get you scheduled.