How Much Does Main Line Hydro Jetting Cost?

Hydro jetting (also known as sewer jetting) is one of those things that many people have heard about but fewer understand. Maybe you do know what it is, and you’re just trying to nail down how much you should expect to pay or when you should make that service call. Never fear! Let’s take a look at what hydro jetting costs will run you for along with a few other facts and figures that will help you along the way.

How much does hydro jetting cost this year? The average cost of hydro jetting a main sewer line in 2022 is $700-1,100 (Forbes). There are, of course, several factors that play into the final price tag on a hydro jet service call. While prices are usually not so high, hydro jetting costs can get into the thousands depending on the situation, so it’s important to be informed about your own situation and the average national prices for hydro jet work.

WHAT IS A HYDRO JET?

Hydro jetting is a method by which plumbers use excessive water pressure from a hose to clean and remove random debris from a sewer pipe. And when we say excessive water pressure, we’re talking about up to 4000 lbs. worth. Translation: Whoooooooa boy, watch OUT!!!

As you can imagine, a good hydro jetting can thoroughly scrub the inside of a pipe and cut debris off the face. We recommend adding hydro jetting to your home maintenance schedule. More on that below.

WHY WOULD I WANT TO PAY FOR HYDRO JETTING?

You probably wouldn’t! But sometimes it is necessary. The good news is that it’s usually doesn’t cost too terribly much. In fact, while HomeAdvisor estimates about $475 for an average hydro jet job, we actually start slightly below that at Plumbing One.

Key Point: Even if you do have a clogged drain and you can’t manage to clear it yourself, you still may not actually need a hydro jet. When our plumbers assess your issue, they’ll first check to see if they can clear the line using a method known as drain cabling.

Plumbing One main line clearing prices roughly follow as below (though they are subject to change):

• Cabling — $200-250
• Excessive cabling — $450
• Hydro jet work — $450-600
• Full repair — $2,000-$15,000

Q: How much does hydro jetting cost at Plumbing One?
A: Less than most places, and you may not even need it!

When you consider the wide range of drain clearing situations coupled with the fact that Home Advisor reports $340 as the average cost to clear a main line in 2022 it’s clear that most issues don’t escalate to a full repair. The vast majority of home drain clogs can be solved with some cabling or light hydro jetting. So if your problem only requires a little drain cabling, you may come in well under that $340 price point.

HOW TO AVOID A MAJOR HYDRO JETTING COST

Perform Routine Maintenance

As I mentioned before, however, we do suggest you hydro jet before you have a problem. Why? To avoid greater problems. God forbid you get that $2000-$15,000 price tag for a full main line repair!

As a quick note: A “full repair” usually involves a shattered underground sewer pipe. We can find this while hydro jetting, and frankly, it means some bad news. Often, the culprit is a tree root. But all that to say, semi-regular hydro jetting costs really aren’t that bad when you factor in what they can become if you get a real sewer line problem.

We recommend having your main line (aka sewer line) flushed once every 18 months or so, but even though that’s the subject of this article, don’t forget your downspout either! Periodically hydro jetting these two pipes is a wise move for homeowners.

Why not add hydro jetting to your annual springtime household checklist?

Listen to Momma

To avoid paying astronomical hydro jetting. costs (and even more importantly, to avoid temporarily losing use of your appliances), you’ll also want to pay attention to what you put down your drain. A chicken, for instance, should never make it onto your list of acceptable items to put down your drain.

For a comical look at some of what plumbers sometimes find on hydro jet calls, check out this gripping three-minute motion picture film:

So how much does hydro jetting cost all told? About $500 is a pretty safe estimate, but it really does depend. We start at $450 for anyone residing in the Columbus area, and we LOVE it when we discover that some basic drain cabling can save the day.

But the key takeaway? Preventative maintenance and not putting whole birds down your drain(!!!) will mean that your answer to this question:

“Honey, exactly how much does hydro jetting cost…?”

Doesn’t have to sound like this:

“Umm… thousands, my love.”