Drain & Sewer Jetting
Drain & Sewer Jetting in Berks County, Pennsylvania — Clear the Line, Don’t Just Poke a Hole | Penn Mechanical Company
A slow sink turns into a gurgle. The laundry runs and the floor drain burps. After rain, a sewer smell creeps in, or worse, a toilet backs up. Snakes can punch a path through the clog, but they rarely restore the full pipe diameter. If grease, scale, soap, or roots keep growing back, you don’t need another quick pass; you need the line scoured clean.
Penn Mechanical Company uses professional high-pressure jetting to cut through buildup, flush debris, and restore real flow. Then, we verify the result, so you fix the cause, not just the symptom.
Clear Signs It’s Time to Jet (not just snake)
- The same line clogs again within weeks or months
- Kitchen/laundry drains slow, then other fixtures start gurgling
- Backups after heavy use (holidays, guests) or after storms
- Sewer odor, soggy lawn patches, or a floor drain that surges
- Old cast-iron piping with rust scale; heavy grease/soap history
If two or more sound familiar, jetting is the right next step.
What Jetting Actually does (and why it works)
Jetting drives water at high pressure through a specialized hose and nozzle. Rear jets pull the hose forward and scour the pipe wall; a forward jet cuts through obstructions. Unlike a cable, a jetter removes grease, sludge, scale flakes, and small root intrusions and flushes them downstream to the main, leaving the inside of the pipe clean, not just passable.
The Four Service Types: What’s Different about Each?
Sewer Jetting
Targets the building sewer from your cleanout to the street/main. Ideal for recurring whole-house backups, root intrusion at joints, and heavy sludge. We select a penetrating/rotating nozzle, make downstream and upstream passes, and follow with a camera check so you see the result and any defects (offsets, bellies, breaks).
Drain Jetting
Focused on branch lines inside or just outside the home, kitchen, bath, and laundry. Great for grease and soap layers that re-form after snaking. Smaller hoses and gentle nozzles protect traps and fittings while restoring the branch to full diameter.
Hydro Jetting
The method itself: high-pressure water (no chemicals) sized to the pipe material and diameter. We choose flow, pressure, and nozzle style for the job, penetrating tips for blockages, spinning heads for wall cleaning, and root-rated heads when intrusion is present.
Pipe Jetting (Storm & Yard Drains)
For downspouts, patio/yard drains, and storm laterals choked with silt, leaves, or sand. We flush the run to a catch basin or main and confirm outlets are clear, so rainwater goes where it should, not into your basement.
Problems Jetting Solves and What It Can’t
- Solves: grease slabs, soap/scale, paper wipes buildup, small root hairs, sand/silt in storm lines.
- Doesn’t fix: broken or collapsed pipe, severe offset, or long bellies (standing water). When we see those on camera, we mark the exact spot and discuss trenchless or spot repair options.
How Your Appointment Works
- Access & assess: We protect the area, identify the right cleanout/entry, and review symptoms.
- Jet selection: Nozzle and settings matched to pipe size and material.
- Controlled passes: Upstream/downstream cleaning until flow and wall condition recover.
- Rinse & verify: Camera scope (when appropriate) to show results and document any defects.
- Plan & prevent: Simple guidance for habits or maintenance that keep lines clear.
Most residential jetting finishes same visit; heavy grease/root jobs can take longer explained up front.
Benefits You’ll Notice Right Away
- Full-bore flow instead of a narrow hole through the clog
- Longer-lasting results than cabling in greasy or scaled lines
- Cleaner, safer method water only; protects pipes when used correctly
- Fewer surprises post-jet video clarifies if any repair is actually needed
Frequently Asked Questions
Used correctly by trained techs, jetting is safe for common residential piping. We adjust pressure/nozzle type to the pipe material and condition.
Not always. We recommend scoping when you’ve had repeat backups or we suspect defects so you see the condition and avoid unnecessary digging.
We can often access through a pulled toilet or install a cleanout for reliable service now and later.
Depends on the cause. Grease/scale cleanings last significantly longer than snaking. If roots or a defect exist, we’ll outline a plan after the scope.
Why Penn Mechanical Company
- Purpose-built jetting equipment and the right nozzle for each job
- Measured, camera-verified results, not guesswork
- Up-front pricing you approve before we start
- Options, not pressure maintenance, spot repair, or trenchless when warranted
Ready to Flush the Problem for Good?
Describe your symptoms: repeated clogs, gurgling, backups, or yard wet spots, and we’ll recommend Sewer Jetting, Drain Jetting, Hydro Jetting, or Pipe Jetting to match. Prefer to talk it through? Call 484-877-8864, and a Penn Mechanical drain specialist will set up the fastest fix.