Skip to content 
Request ServiceHydro Jetting — High-Pressure Drain & Sewer Cleaning
Delex Plumbing provides professional hydro jetting — high-pressure water clearing at 3,500 to 4,000 PSI for grease accumulation, mineral scale, root intrusion, and commercial kitchen drain maintenance. Camera-before and camera-after on every job.
How Hydro Jetting Works
Hydro jetting uses water pressure — typically 3,500 to 4,000 PSI for residential applications and up to 5,000 PSI for commercial — delivered through a specialized rotating nozzle to clean the interior of drain and sewer pipes. The rotating jetter nozzle simultaneously blasts water forward to break up blockages and backwards through side ports to scour the pipe wall and flush debris to the downstream stack or clean-out.
The result of hydro jetting is a pipe that is cleaned back to the original pipe wall — not just punched through with a hole. Grease that has accumulated over years on the pipe wall interior is cut away and flushed out. Mineral scale deposited from Peel Region’s hard water supply is removed. Light root intrusion is cut back to the pipe wall. The effective bore of the drain is fully restored.
Peel Region’s water supply hardness of 18 to 20 grains per gallon deposits calcium carbonate scale inside drain pipes, particularly where flow velocity is reduced at pipe bends, at horizontal runs, and inside the smooth bore of PVC drain arms where grease and scale bond together. Hydro jetting removes this combined grease-scale accumulation from the pipe wall, restoring the smooth surface that resists future accumulation more effectively than a pipe wall that retains a residual grease film.
Before hydro jetting, we perform a sewer camera inspection to confirm the pipe is structurally sound enough to withstand jetting pressure. Severely corroded or cracked pipe sections can be damaged by high-pressure water — identifying these sections before jetting prevents converting a maintenance job into an emergency repair. After jetting, we perform a confirmatory camera pass to confirm the pipe bore is fully restored.
For drain cleaning where snaking has been insufficient or where recurring blockages suggest pipe wall accumulation rather than point blockages, hydro jetting is the recommended treatment. The post-jetting pipe condition is significantly better than the post-snaking condition, and the interval before the next blockage is substantially longer.
Hydro Jetting for Grease and Commercial Drains
Grease accumulation is the primary driver of commercial kitchen drain blockages and the leading cause of Peel Region grease trap violations. Commercial kitchens produce grease output that adheres to drain arm walls, builds up progressively, and eventually blocks the drain completely — typically at the worst possible time during a busy service period. Monthly hydro jetting is the standard maintenance schedule for restaurant drain lines under Peel Region compliance requirements.
For residential kitchens with heavy cooking output — households that cook daily with significant fat and oil volume — annual hydro jetting extends the interval between drain problems significantly. A residential kitchen drain that has been hydro jetted has a clean pipe wall that takes 12 to 18 months to accumulate enough grease to cause slow drainage, versus a snaked drain that may exhibit slow drainage symptoms within 4 to 6 weeks of clearing.
Grease trap maintenance and drain hydro jetting can be scheduled together for commercial properties — a single visit for grease trap pumping and drain line jetting reduces the operational disruption of two separate service calls. We offer combined service scheduling for restaurant and food service clients.
Hydro Jetting for Root Intrusion
Root intrusion in clay sewer laterals is managed annually with hydro jetting as a maintenance approach when the lateral is structurally sound but has root entry through joints. The cutting jets of the rotating nozzle cut roots at the pipe wall, removing the root mass that has grown inside the pipe and restoring flow. Root regrowth occurs within 12 to 18 months, making annual jetting the appropriate maintenance cycle.
Hydro jetting cuts roots only at the pipe wall surface — it does not seal the joint that the roots entered through. For laterals where root intrusion is the confirmed long-term maintenance issue, we discuss trenchless CIPP lining as the permanent solution that seals the joints and eliminates root re-entry without excavation.
Root cutting with a hydro jetter is more thorough than root cutting with a mechanical cutter. The mechanical root cutter removes roots only from the pipe bore centre — roots that are flush with the pipe wall are left in place. The hydro jetter’s rotating cutting jets cut roots at the pipe wall surface and flush all root material from the pipe, leaving a cleaner bore and a longer interval before re-growth reduces flow. Post-cutting camera inspection confirms the thoroughness of root removal.
For properties with silver maple or willow trees within 10 metres of the sewer lateral path, annual root cutting by hydro jetting is the recommended maintenance schedule to prevent accumulation to blockage level. These tree species have aggressive fine root systems that enter sewer pipe joints at the first opportunity. Annual cutting before roots accumulate to blockage level maintains lateral flow throughout the year without emergency service interruption.
Hydro Jetting vs. Snaking — Which Is Right?
Snaking is the right tool for a first blockage — it is faster, less expensive, and appropriate when the cause is a discrete plug rather than pipe-wall accumulation. Snaking is also appropriate for slow drains with minor hair and soap buildup in bathroom drains, where the accumulation is at the stopper rather than deep in the drain arm.
Hydro jetting is appropriate when: the drain has blocked multiple times despite previous clearing, the camera shows pipe-wall grease or scale accumulation, the property is a commercial food service establishment, root intrusion has been identified in the sewer lateral, or the property owner is preparing the drain system for a camera inspection, camera-guided lining, or new appliance connection.
We advise on the appropriate service during the diagnostic call. For a drain emergency plumbing situation — complete backup with no drainage — we begin with emergency snaking, then schedule hydro jetting. For commercial properties and properties with known grease or root history, we recommend hydro jetting from the first service call. Contact us online or call 416-910-2550 to discuss the appropriate service for your drain situation.
Call 416-910-2550
Every hydro jetting job starts with a camera inspection and free estimate. Call 416-910-2550, contact us online, or request service
Delex Plumbing provides hydro jetting services across all GTA neighbourhoods for residential and commercial clients. Our jetter equipment is sized for residential 3-inch and 4-inch drain lines as well as commercial 4-inch and 6-inch lines. We do not use the same residential jetter equipment for commercial-grade grease accumulation — proper equipment sizing ensures the jetting pressure reaches the pipe wall effectively across the full cross-section of the pipe being cleaned.
Service records from every hydro jetting visit are provided to commercial clients in a format that satisfies Peel Region grease management documentation requirements. For restaurants that receive Peel Region grease compliance notices, we can schedule a same-week jetting service and provide the service documentation required for the compliance response submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does hydro jetting cost?
A: Residential drain hydro jetting costs $350 to $600 depending on pipe diameter and drain length. Commercial kitchen drain jetting costs $450 to $800. Camera inspection before jetting is included in the service price. Call 416-910-2550 for a flat-rate estimate.
Q: Is hydro jetting safe for all pipes?
A: Hydro jetting is safe for PVC, ABS, cast iron, and sound clay pipes. We do not hydrojet pipes that the pre-jetting camera inspection shows to be severely corroded, cracked, or with pipe wall sections missing. These conditions require repair before jetting can proceed safely. Adjustable-pressure jetter units allow us to calibrate the water pressure to the pipe material — lower for aged clay, higher for commercial cast iron — protecting the host pipe while delivering effective cleaning.
Q: How often should I have my drains hydro jetted?
A: Residential kitchen drains: every 2 to 3 years as preventive maintenance, or annually if grease buildup is a recurring problem. Commercial kitchen drains: monthly as standard maintenance. Sewer laterals with root intrusion: annually to manage root growth. Call us after any drain service to discuss the right maintenance interval for your specific drain configuration.
Q: Can hydro jetting damage my pipes?
A: Properly applied hydro jetting at appropriate pressure does not damage sound pipes. Pressure is calibrated to the pipe material and diameter — residential PVC is jetted at lower pressure than cast iron. The pre-jetting camera inspection identifies any structural concerns before pressure is applied.
Get Your Quote Today!
Or Give Us A Call: 416-910-2550
Licensed & Insured
Trusted Local Plumbers 
Fast Response
Usually Within 1 Hour 
Satisfaction Guaranteed
100% Quality Work 
