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Hydro Jetting in Grand Rapids, MI

Water jetting for grease, roots and sludge in Grand Rapids drain and sewer lines, always after a camera check, because many local laterals are Orangeburg pipe that pressure can tear.

OVERVIEW

Hydro Jetting in Grand Rapids

Hydro jetting is the cleaning of a drain or sewer line with a high pressure water stream that strips grease, sludge and root fibers off the pipe wall instead of punching one hole through them. We at Clog Busters jet residential and commercial lines across Grand Rapids from our branch at 584 44th Street SE, and a camera goes through every line before the jetter does.

That camera step matters more here than in most cities. Many Grand Rapids neighborhoods were built from the 1940s through the early 1970s, and Orangeburg sewer pipe from that era is still in the ground. Orangeburg is a fiber pipe of wood pulp and coal tar pitch that softens, blisters and goes oval with age, and a jet nozzle can cut through a weakened wall. When the footage shows that, we do not jet.

For restaurants, jetting is part of staying compliant. The City of Grand Rapids grease interceptor requirements under Chapter 27 of the City Code call for an interceptor of at least three compartments and 1,000 gallons, or an approved equivalent, and cap grease and sludge at 25 percent of the tank liquid level. Clean kitchen lines deliver grease to that tank instead of holding it in the pipe.

Jetting is one piece of our hydro jetting service, it starts with our drain camera inspections, and it is run by the same crew behind our Grand Rapids drain and sewer services.

Commercial work is performed to the 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code, in effect since March 12, 2024, and residential work to the plumbing provisions of the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.

Hydro jetting equipment inside a Clog Busters service van

WHEN JETTING FITS

When a Grand Rapids Line Should Be Jetted, and When It Should Not

Jetting suits pipe that is sound but coated. It is the wrong call for pipe that is already coming apart.

Restaurant Lines Feeding the Interceptor

Kitchen branches between the fixtures and the grease interceptor carry the heaviest load in any building. Scheduled jetting keeps grease moving to the tank.

Maple Roots in an Older Lateral

The City of Grand Rapids counted maples as roughly half of its inventoried street trees in a 2010 analysis. Their roots find leaking joints, and jetting flushes out the root mass a cutter leaves behind.

A Kitchen Drain on a Clog Cycle

A kitchen clog that returns every few months is a grease lining narrowing the pipe. A cable reopens a channel. A jetter takes the lining off the wall.

Not for Flattened Orangeburg

Fiber pipe from the 1940s to the early 1970s that looks oval or blistered on camera is past cleaning. Pressure can split it, so we talk repair instead.

Not for a Cracked or Offset Line

If the camera finds a crack, a separated joint or a missing pipe bottom, jetter water can wash out the soil around the break. That line needs a repair plan first.

Winter Changes the Setup

Grand Rapids averages 77.6 inches of snow a season, per National Weather Service normals. A cleanout under snow, or a drain through an unheated garage, changes how we set up.

HYDRO JETTING SERVICES

What We Jet Around Grand Rapids

Homes, rentals, restaurants and commercial kitchens across Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood and the wider branch area.

  1. 01

    Commercial Kitchen Branch Lines

    Sinks, dish machines and floor sinks running to the grease interceptor, scheduled around service hours.

  2. 02

    Interceptor Inlet and Outlet Piping

    The pipe into and out of a grease interceptor clogs first when pumping falls behind. Camera footage shows whether grease is getting past the tank.

  3. 03

    Residential Kitchen Lines

    A disposal and years of rinsed pans leave a grease lining that a cable only parts. Jetting takes the line back to full bore.

  4. 04

    Root Cutting With a Full Flush

    A root cutting nozzle shears intrusion at the joints, and the water carries the cuttings to the main instead of leaving them to snag.

  5. 05

    Main Sewer Laterals

    The full run from cleanout to street connection, jetted end to end and checked on camera afterward.

  6. 06

    Basement Floor Drains

    Silt and sludge settle in floor drain traps and the pipe beyond. Jetting moves that sediment out before it hardens.

WHY CLOG BUSTERS

Why Grand Rapids Calls Clog Busters for Hydro Jetting

  • Camera First, Every Time The camera shows whether the pipe is clay, cast iron, plastic or Orangeburg, and its condition. No jetter goes into a line we have not seen.
  • We Say No When Pressure Would Break It When footage shows failing fiber pipe or a broken joint, we tell you jetting is the wrong tool and lay out the repair options.
  • Nozzle and Pressure Set to the Pipe Old clay and cast iron are cleaned differently than newer plastic, so nozzle and pressure follow the pipe.
  • Licensed and Insured Our Grand Rapids crew is licensed and insured and works to the plumbing codes Michigan has adopted.
  • A Branch on 44th Street SE Our branch sits on the south side of the metro, within reach of Wyoming, Kentwood, Grandville and Byron Center as well as the city.
  • Open 24 Hours, 7 Days a Week A restaurant line that backs up on a Friday night cannot wait until Monday. The branch answers around the clock.

How We Jet a Line in Grand Rapids

Look first, choose the method, clean the full run, then prove it on camera.

  1. Camera the Line First

    We identify the pipe material and check every joint. Orangeburg, offset joints and cracks show up here, before any pressure is applied.

  2. Decide: Jet, Cable or Repair

    Sound pipe coated in grease or roots gets jetted. A hard obstruction may get a cable first. Failing pipe gets a repair conversation instead.

  3. Set Up for the Season

    In winter we locate and clear the cleanout, work from an indoor access point where one exists, and keep water off icy walks and drives.

  4. Jet the Full Run

    We clean from the access point to the main, because grease and root growth extend well past the spot where the clog formed.

  5. Camera Again and Flow Test

    A second camera pass shows the cleaned pipe wall, then a high volume flow test confirms the line carries a full load.

REVIEWS

Hear From Some Of Our Customers

Don't Just Take Our Word For It

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4.9 4.9-star Google rating

“Drew was great, careful and courteous and explained everything clearly.”

“Zach is the absolute best tradesmen there is. I only recommend him to fix anything in your home. He does a great job.”

“Josh came out and diagnosed the problem for me! He did a great job! He didn’t do the work, but was great to work with!”

“Ethan did an excellent job of determining the problems and addressing those issues. Very polite and 'cleaned up after himself'.”

“Joshua and Zachary are excellent! Very hard working and super friendly.”

“Ethan is very pleasant and professional. I highly recommend his service anytime.”

“Zach and Ethan did a fantastic job. They were polite, courteous and honest.”

“Joshua and Zachary were both super professional and explained my options!”

“Josh was great!! He was timely and I trusted that he would do a great job!!”

“Very quick and well mannered definitely recommend!”

FAQ

Hydro Jetting FAQs for Grand Rapids

Still stuck? Call the Grand Rapids shop at (616) 360-2564.

It is safe for sound pipe and unsafe for pipe that has already failed. Many Grand Rapids neighborhoods built from the 1940s through the early 1970s still have Orangeburg fiber sewer pipe, which softens and flattens with age. We camera every line first, and if it shows deformed Orangeburg, cracks or offset joints, we do not jet it and explain the repair options instead.

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