PSI for Hydro Jetting Residential Homes
Finding out your pipes are completely clogged can be a nightmare you don’t see coming until the drains stop working. But you may not know that your pipes are becoming dangerously clogged when they become slow to drain, back up often or are still slow even after a snake out.
Whether you are facing an emergency situation or just want to preventatively clear your pipes to ensure they work properly for your home, one option many homeowners consider is hydro jetting. This professional process might be the perfect solution to keep your pipes flowing smoothly for years to come, but understanding PSI and water pressure is key to utilizing the power of hydro jetting.
Why Hydro Jetting Works So Well
This popular pipe-clearing solution essentially uses a strong jet stream of water to completely clear pipes of even the most stubborn clogs. Chemical cleaners introduce potentially harmful solutions into the pipe to dissolve clogs, but they can be corrosive to pipes, take overnight or longer to work, and provide only a temporary fix.
Snake lines can also temporarily fix small or simple clogs, but they leave residue behind and may not fix the whole clog problem, pushing the clog down the pipe, creating a future problem.
Hydro jetting, by contrast, utilizes powerful water streams to completely clear out a pipe without using potentially hazardous chemicals or tools that can only reach part of a clog. When the entire pipe is cleaned, no clog residue remains.
Pipes that have been hydro jetted flow smoothly, and the lifespan of your home’s pipes is extended because they can work freely without fighting any obstructions or buildups of grease, minerals or other contaminants.
PSI and Hydro Jetting
Water jets that are too strong have the potential to damage your pipes, so it is important to understand how PSI impacts the safety and effectiveness of hydro jetting. PSI, or pounds per square inch, describes the power of water.
Utilizing high water pressure, hydro jetting can harness significant power to clear your pipes compared to the low PSI your pipes experience with everyday use, as they move water away from your home.
Safe Pressure Levels
To ensure that your pipes are cleaned without being damaged, most plumbing experts like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing recommend using between 1,400 and 4,000 PSI during the hydro jetting procedure.
Lower pressure may be used on older pipes, while higher pressure can be right for pipes constructed with PVC, ABS or copper that have been prescreened to ensure the pipe’s integrity before the hydro jetting process.
Controlling PSI Levels
Anytime too much pressure is applied to pipes, whether they are new and strong or older and more brittle, pipes can be damaged. It is important for homeowners to work with a plumbing professional who can assess a home’s pipes before and during hydro jetting to ensure the pipes are safely and completely cleaned, using multiple strategies to keep the homeowner’s pipes safe.
- Evaluate the types of pipes in a home for their strength and ability to withstand high-pressure treatment. This allows the plumbing professionals to choose the appropriate pressure setting for the hydro jet.
- Utilize cameras to locate blockages or buildup areas before hydro jetting to confirm the right pressure setting to use in each location.
- Use camera evaluation during the process to ensure that pipes are not damaged, blockages are being removed and pipes are cleaned thoroughly so pressure settings can be adjusted in real time, before any problems occur.
When to Choose Hydro Jetting
Using an eco-friendly pipe clearing solution like hydro jetting is the perfect option for many homeowners. The proper PSI will ensure your pipes are cleared safely and completely, especially when you have an emergency need for this type of plumbing solution.
But you don’t have to wait until you have a surprise pipe disaster to use a smart cleaning solution like hydro jetting. If any of these situations sound familiar, you should consider contacting your local plumbing professionals to see if hydro jetting will work with your type of pipes and specific home situation.
If your pipes are highly clogged, hydro jetting can be the simple solution to help them flow freely again and reduce the worry you have of constant backups, slow drains and the potential for an emergency clog in the future.
When you have pipes that are not fragile, a high-pressure water clearing solution can be a safe and smart choice. PVC, copper and ABS are all pipe materials that, when in good condition, can be hydro jetted safely. Materials like clay, cast iron or Orangeburg used in older construction may be more breakable, and are often not good candidates for hydro jetting since the high pressure may damage them.
If you want a total clean out of your pipes and not just a spot treatment for a single clog or build-up area, hydro jetting is the way to go. Hydro jetting allows you to clean the whole pipe, making it an efficient and safe choice for a complete pipe-clearing solution.
If you live in a hardwater region, mineral buildup can clog pipes and cause long-term damage if not removed regularly. Hydro jetting helps you harness the power of chemical-free, high-pressure water to clean out your pipes of these damaging minerals to ensure the pipes can do their job safely for many years.
Partner With Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
Our trusted plumbing professionals at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing can ensure the right PSI for your pipes can give you peace of mind when you choose hydro jetting to clean out your home’s pipes. And with our on-time guarantee, remember that if there’s any delay, it’s YOU we pay when we work on restoring your pipes to their cleanest, most efficient state with a safe procedure like hydro jetting.
