How To Use A Pressure Washer To Clean A Drain

Turning your force per unit area washer into a sewer jetter could save you lot hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in maintenance if you lot are a homeowner. If you lot do not have a pressure washer yet, this is even so another reason y'all need to have such a universal piece of equipment that volition more than pay for itself. The boilerplate cost of jetting a sewer is $500 to $900 if you demand to hire a professional person plumber.

Signs You Need a Hydro Jetter

If you lot are finding that multiple drains in your home are backing up, tried snaking, or used a bleed cleaner (like Bleed-O) to clear the lines with no effect, it may exist time to jet out your sewer line(s). Yous will find jetting to exist a improve long-term solution as not only does it open the sewer lines but it besides cleans them.

If yous are experiencing any of the following, using a high pressure water jetter could be the platonic solution.

Pipes are draining slowly
Gurgling or noisy pipes
Sinks have smelly drains
Unexplainable increases in monthly water bill
Pipes may be onetime and potentially deteriorating

What is a Sewer Jetter?

Simply put, a sewer or "water jetter" is a high force per unit area hose used to make clean clogged drain lines. Both professional and DIY plumbers use this tool for heavy-duty bleed cleaning projects in both homes and businesses.

The most common blockage problem in homes are acquired by tree roots growing within sewer bleed pipes.

There are many variations of nozzles, mainly due to dissimilar angles of the h2o stream, but the below epitome of a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation sewer nozzle is one selection (they also come in rotating nozzles and button nose nozzles – more on this below).

Can Y'all Catechumen Your Pressure Washer Into a Sewer Jetter?

Most probable, yes. Chances are your force per unit area washer tin be converted using a uncomplicated conversion kit found on Amazon. You lot will want to make sure your pressure washer has a PSI (pounds per square inch) of at to the lowest degree 1,500 and no more than than four,400 PSI of pressure.

Most conversion kits we establish on Amazon back up upward to 4,000 PSI, which can support nigh electrical pressure washer models we employ and most non-commercial gas pressure washer models.

The main difference betwixt your force per unit area washer and an industrial sewer jetter is the amount of water, measured in Gallons Per Infinitesimal (GPM), will be less. Your pressure level washer will typically have a GPM rating of 2 to four GPM where a typical sewer jetter will be 4 to 9 GPM and can be over 25 GPM when mounted on the back of a truck or trailer.

Industrial sewage cleaning equipment with sewage

As a guideline, y'all volition want a automobile that delivers shut to 2 GPM and at least 2,000 PSI. Otherwise you might be looking at a long day of clearing debris/buildup from your drainage pipes.

What is a Sewer Jetter Conversion Kit?

A sewer jetting kit connects to the handle of your pressure washer and comes in many dissimilar options. At that place are 2 main parts to a sewer jetting kit (buy on amazon through this link).

Jumper Hose

The hose attaches to your pressure washer sprayer via couplings, also referred to as a ball valve if the hose can't connect to the spray wand. A typical hose length is usually 50-100ft, has a slick cover to move through pipes easier, and is resistant to abrasion when working downwards lines.

You will want to know what the PSI on your force per unit area washer is as well every bit the approximate length of the pipe you are wanting to clean (if you do non know, 100ft of a sewer jetting hose is probably a skillful option).

You lot volition find some hoses come on a reel to easily curl upwards when you are finished and continue the hose from getting tangled. These are a good selection merely are slightly harder to clean after use.

Sewer Jetter Nozzle

The names may vary slightly, depending on who is selling them, but in that location are three main nozzles: laser, rotating, and button nose. The rotating and button nose are about popular.

You tin can also get nozzles with different degree sprays, from 0 degrees (straight on and skilful for blockage) to 40 degrees (called flushing nozzles). The spray that comes out the sides and at an angle helps pull the hose down the drain so you are not forcing the hose downward.

Hither are the primary uses of nozzles, then understanding your consequence will help you make up one's mind which one you lot need.

Removing blockages
Cleaning droppings
Cleaning along the pipes (great preventive care).

Connecting your sewer jetter to your pressure washer

Once yous have decided which sewer jetter you would like to get, connecting it to your pressure washer is easy by post-obit these steps.

Connect your water line to your power washer like you would normally exercise.
Then employ the quick connect coupler that should be included in your sewer jetter kit to your spray wand.
At the other finish of your jetter hose, utilize the quick connector to connect the nozzle you lot would similar to use.

How to use the sewer jetter

Once your sewer jetter kit is connected to your force per unit area washer, follow these steps.

Turn on your pressure washer.
Put the sewer jetter hose about a foot into the drain.
Printing the handle on your spray wand (you should feel pressure level in the jetter hose).
Slowly move the hose downwardly the drain while property the spray wand handle. With every few anxiety the hose goes downwardly, pull it back nigh half the distance and then it cleans the sides, and and then continue past your concluding point and repeat this procedure until you have fabricated information technology to the stop.
1. Listen for pressure modify, particularly when dealing with a clog. If you hear water fluid change, pull back the hose to give the clog time to articulate then keep, repeating as necessary.
On your way support, slowly pull the hose back up until you get about a foot from the top of the bleed.
Let get of the spray wand handle, look for the water to end, and so pull out the residue of the sewer jetter hose.
Disconnect the jetter hose and clean it off with a light pressure nozzle on your pressure washer or a garden hose.
You lot are now finished and you can convert your sewer jetter dorsum into a pressure level washer.

*Tip, it is a good thought to habiliment rubber gloves as you feed the sewer jetter line in and out of the pipes.

Adept Maintenance

Now that you take converted your pressure washer into a sewer jetter, and back into a pressure level washer, you lot can perform yearly maintenance on your pipes and not have to wait for clogs. This method tin can piece of work on any drain organization in your home.

Jamey is the founder of pressurewashr.com and has led testing and reviewing since 2022. He has also worked equally a commercial pressure level washer at a rendering establish for 3 years and has been using commercial and residential pressure washers for xv+ years. He is also a mechanical engineer and while working in the mining manufacture designed several plough-key light industrial vehicle wash pads.