When a drain snake isn't enough. We scour your pipes clean at 3,000–4,000 PSI — removing grease, roots, and scale for a lasting fix.
Hydro jetting is a method of cleaning drain and sewer lines using a high-pressure water stream — typically between 3,000 and 4,000 PSI — delivered through a specialized nozzle inserted into the pipe. Unlike a drain snake, which punches a hole through a clog, hydro jetting scours the entire interior wall of the pipe clean.
The result isn't just a cleared blockage — it's a pipe that flows like new. Grease, mineral scale, hair, soap buildup, and even tree root mass are flushed completely out of the line.
Hydro jetting is the right call when standard drain snaking isn't holding or when the problem runs deeper than a simple clog.
You've had the drain snaked twice in the past year and it keeps coming back. The snake is clearing the center of the pipe but leaving buildup on the walls — which reforms into a clog.
Tree roots follow moisture into small cracks in older clay or concrete pipes. Left alone, they expand and eventually block the line entirely. Hydro jetting cuts root mass out of the pipe.
Restaurant kitchens and residential kitchen drains both accumulate grease layers over time. Grease constricts the pipe diameter until flow is nearly blocked. Jetting removes it completely.
Hard water deposits calcium and magnesium carbonate on pipe walls over years. This scale narrows the flow path and can eventually cause a full blockage. Hydro jetting breaks it loose.
High-volume commercial kitchens, apartment complexes, and retail properties need routine hydro jetting to prevent emergency backups. Scheduled maintenance keeps lines flowing and avoids costly downtime.
Buying a home in Tacoma or Pierce County? Hydro jetting before closing clears the line so a camera inspection can show its true condition — and gives you a clean pipe from day one.
Tacoma and Pierce County have a higher concentration of pre-1960 sewer infrastructure than most Western Washington cities — and that shapes how drain problems develop and what it actually takes to fix them.
In South Tacoma, Hilltop, the Stadium District, North End, and Proctor, clay tile sewer laterals are still common. Clay pipes are porous at the joints — tree roots follow moisture inward over years. A root mass that starts as a hairline intrusion becomes a full blockage. Hydro jetting cuts that root mass out completely; a snake punches through it and leaves the rest behind to reblock the line within months.
The Pacific Northwest makes this worse. Big Leaf Maple — the dominant large tree on Tacoma residential lots — has an aggressive lateral root system that actively seeks pipe joints. During the wet season (October through March), saturated soil pressure accelerates root penetration into existing cracks. Homes with mature maples or willows within 20 feet of the sewer line benefit from annual camera inspection and targeted jetting before roots reach full blockage.
In Lakewood, University Place, and JBLM-adjacent neighborhoods, Orangeburg pipe — a compressed wood-fiber material used in post-WWII construction — is more common. Orangeburg deteriorates over time and can collapse under jetting pressure. We always run a camera inspection before hydro jetting. If we find Orangeburg or severely deteriorated pipe walls, we won't jet — you'll get an honest assessment of what the pipe actually needs instead of a service that could make things worse.
Every hydro jetting job follows the same careful process — we inspect before we jet, and confirm results before we leave.
Before we jet, we run a sewer camera through the line. This confirms the location and nature of the blockage, checks pipe condition, and ensures hydro jetting is safe and appropriate for your specific situation.
We locate the cleanout access point — typically a capped pipe at ground level or in a crawl space. If no cleanout exists, we can access through a roof vent or toilet flange.
We insert a flexible hose with a specialized omnidirectional nozzle into the pipe. Water at 3,000–4,000 PSI is pumped through the hose, simultaneously blasting forward to clear the blockage and spraying backwards at 360° to scour the pipe walls clean.
After jetting, we run the camera again to confirm the line is clear and that no pipe damage occurred during the process. You can watch the inspection on-screen. We provide video on request.
We leave only when the line flows freely and we're satisfied with the result. No upsells, no "we'll need to come back."
The process is the same — the pipe sizes, causes, frequency, and pricing differ.
We serve restaurants, apartment complexes, retail centers, and residential customers throughout Pierce County. Contact us for commercial scheduling.
Both are legitimate tools — the right choice depends on the problem.
Simple decision guide:
Still not sure? Call us — we'll tell you honestly what your drain actually needs.
No guesswork. Here's exactly what happens from the moment we pull up to the moment we pack up.
We'll review the problem with you, locate the cleanout access point (typically in the yard, crawl space, or near the foundation), and run an initial camera inspection to confirm the blockage type and pipe condition before any jetting begins.
We connect the pressure pump and set up the jetting hose at the cleanout access point. You don't need to prepare anything — just give us clear access to the cleanout and the affected drain area. No excavation is required for a standard residential job.
The pump motor is audible but the process is clean — only pressurized water enters your pipe. Interior drain lines typically take 20–30 minutes of active jetting. Main sewer lines with heavy root intrusion or grease buildup can take 30–45 minutes.
After jetting, we run the camera through the line again to confirm it's clear and that pipe walls are intact. You can watch the inspection on-screen. We do a full confirmation flush before packing up — we won't leave until the pipe is flowing at full capacity. Video is available on request.
Hydro jetting in Tacoma and Pierce County starts at $649 for interior 2" drain lines and $999 for exterior main sewer lines. Commercial properties are quoted on-site.
We give you a firm price before we start — no surprise charges. We don't quote a low number and add fees once we're on-site.
Hydro jetting uses water at 3,000–4,000 PSI delivered through an omnidirectional nozzle to scour the full interior of a drain or sewer pipe. The forward jets clear the blockage; the rear jets clean the pipe wall. Everything is flushed downstream and out of the system. The result is a pipe that flows at full capacity — not just one with a hole punched through the clog.
A drain snake (auger) breaks through a clog but leaves the residue on the pipe walls. That residue becomes the foundation of the next clog. Hydro jetting removes the blockage and the buildup causing it. For recurring slow drains or clogs, hydro jetting delivers results that last months or years longer than snaking alone.
Hydro jetting is safe for PVC, ABS, cast iron, and concrete pipes in good condition. We always run a camera inspection before jetting to assess pipe condition. Older homes in Tacoma and Pierce County sometimes have clay or Orangeburg sewer lines, which can be brittle. If we determine the pipe is too fragile, we'll tell you — and we won't jet a line we think is at risk of damage.
Hydro jetting starts at $649 for interior 2" drain lines and $999 for exterior main sewer lines in Tacoma and Pierce County. Commercial work is quoted on-site. We give you a firm number before any work begins — no add-on charges once we're in your driveway. Call (206) 948-0851 for a same-day quote.
For most Tacoma-area homes, every 1–2 years is a reasonable preventive maintenance schedule. Homes with large trees near the sewer line benefit from annual inspection and jetting. Commercial kitchens typically need service every 3–6 months depending on volume. We'll recommend a schedule based on what we find during your first service.
Yes. D Street Drains services restaurants, commercial kitchens, apartment complexes, and retail centers throughout Pierce County. Grease trap cleaning and hydro jetting are often scheduled together. We offer service contracts for recurring commercial maintenance — contact us for commercial pricing and availability.
Signs you likely need hydro jetting rather than a standard snake: the same drain has been snaked more than once in 12 months; multiple drains in the house are slow at the same time; you hear gurgling from drains when water runs elsewhere; there's a persistent sewage odor even after cleaning; or a camera inspection has shown grease buildup, scale, or root intrusion on the pipe walls.
Most residential hydro jetting jobs run 1–1.5 hours from arrival to departure — including the pre-jet camera inspection, the jetting itself, and the post-jet confirmation pass. Interior drain line jobs tend to be closer to 1 hour. Main sewer line jobs with heavy root intrusion can run 1.5–2 hours. Commercial jobs vary by line length and severity; we'll give you an estimated time window when you schedule.
Hydro jetting removes all existing root mass from inside the pipe — it cuts and flushes roots completely out of the line. However, it doesn't seal the joint the roots entered through, so roots can regrow over time. For homes with mature trees near the sewer line, annual camera inspection and jetting as needed is the recommended approach. If root intrusion is recurring and severe, sewer camera inspection paired with pipe relining — which seals the pipe from the inside — is the more permanent long-term solution. We'll give you an honest assessment of what makes sense for your situation.
We serve Tacoma and the surrounding Pierce County communities. Same-day availability in most areas.
We run a camera before and after every hydro jetting job. Can also be scheduled independently for pre-purchase inspections.
For simple clogs that don't require high-pressure jetting. Fast, affordable, and effective for most isolated blockages.
Restaurant grease traps, floor drains, and commercial sewer lines. Pierce County compliance documentation included.