Hydro Jetting in Suwanee, GA

Hydro jetting is a common fix for clogs with a four-legged cause. Bathing the dog in the tub, scooping litter into the toilet and rinsing aquarium gravel in the sink all send material down Suwanee drains that the pipes were never meant to carry. Most of it can be cleared, and nearly all of it can be prevented once you know where it goes.

Bath time and pet hair

A medium-sized dog can shed a remarkable amount of hair in one bath, far more than a person loses in a shower. Mixed with pet shampoo, it forms dense mats in the tub's trap and the branch line beyond. A plunger or a hand auger may pull out the nearest clump, but hair stuck to soap film farther down soon catches more. Brushing the dog thoroughly before the bath, using a fine mesh catcher over the drain and emptying it before the water is let out keep most of the fur out of the pipe.

Why litter does not belong in the toilet

Clumping clay litter is designed to absorb liquid and harden, and it does the same thing in a drain. It sinks to the bottom of the toilet's trapway and the pipe beyond, swells and sets into a heavy, cement-like deposit. Even litter marketed as flushable adds a load of solids that a long or flat sewer line may not carry, especially with lower-volume toilets. Bagging used litter for the trash is the safer habit for the plumbing, and pet waste bags, including ones labeled biodegradable, should never be flushed.

Gravel, sand and other surprises

Cleaning an aquarium or a reptile tank in the kitchen or bathroom sink can send gravel and sand into the trap, where it settles and builds a gritty dam. Pieces of chew toys, grooming wipes and fur rinsed off brushes turn up in drains as well. Small items that stop in a trap can usually be removed by hand; anything that has traveled into the line needs locating first.

Clearing hair, litter and grit

Hair in a tub branch comes off the pipe wall with a nozzle that scrubs the full circumference, and the loosened mats are flushed downstream. Litter deposits and sand need volume as much as pressure, so several flushing passes move the sediment along instead of just stirring it. Clay that has set firmly can take repeated work, and the technician checks progress with a sewer camera inspection rather than guessing. Larger gravel or solid objects may have to be retrieved from a cleanout instead of being pushed farther along. If the pipe turns out to be cracked or sagging where the debris collected, drain repair is the lasting fix. Our Georgia hydro jetting overview has a general description of the equipment.

When it has reached the main line

A single slow tub after dog baths is a branch problem. If toilets bubble, the lowest drain in the house backs up, or several fixtures slow at once, pet debris may have joined other buildup in the main sewer. That line is jetted from the outdoor cleanout, and the camera confirms whether litter, hair or something else was responsible. Repeated main line trouble after cleaning points to a structural problem, which calls for main sewer line repair. If a damaged pipe has to be replaced, Suwanee requires a permit for changes to plumbing systems, though not for minor repairs, and its inspections staff can say whether a given project needs one.

Pet owner questions in Suwanee

What should I do if aquarium gravel went down the sink?

Stop running water so the gravel stays in the trap instead of moving on. Put a bucket under the trap, unscrew it if it comes apart by hand, and empty it out. If the gravel has already gone past the trap, or the sink is still slow afterward, leave the rest to a technician rather than flushing it farther along with more water.

Can pet hair clog the washing machine drain too?

It can. Dog beds, blankets and towels shed hair into the wash water, and the washer pumps it into the laundry drain, where it joins ordinary lint. Shaking bedding out outdoors before washing and fitting a lint catcher on the discharge hose keep most of it out. A standpipe that overflows during the spin cycle is the usual sign.

Will hydro jetting remove hardened cat litter from a pipe?

In most cases, given time. The technician works in short passes and checks the camera between them, because set clay comes off in layers rather than all at once. A plug that has filled a damaged or very old pipe is the exception, and cutting out that piece can be quicker and safer than trying to clean it.

Pet-proof the plumbing

Pet hair, litter or tank gravel slowing a drain in your Suwanee home? Tell Alpha Plumbing and Sewer what went down when you call (404) 409-4448; knowing the culprit helps us choose the right nozzle.