Sewer Backup Right Now: Stop the Water, Then Call
Gurgling toilets and sewage in a floor drain mean the main is blocked. A tub that fills when the washer drains says the same. Every flush or load of laundry adds water that has nowhere to go. Stop using fixtures, and if sewage has reached carpet or drywall, keep everyone out of the area.
If the backup looks like it is coming from the city's sewer main, the City's after-hours line for wastewater backups is Police Dispatch at 817-297-2276. Ask Public Works where the city side of the line ends before assuming the blockage is yours. If it is on your side, call us and we will send a licensed plumber with a camera and a jetter.
The pipe itself is the limit here. Under the standard in Crowley's local amendment to the 2021 International Plumbing Code, building sewers sit at least 12 inches below grade, which is the pipe depth a jetting hose has to work through.
What Jetting Clears That a Snake Cannot
A drain cable punches a hole through a blockage and leaves the rest of the buildup on the pipe wall. A jet washes it away.
Tree roots
Fine roots work into joints and grow into a thick mat inside the line. A jet with a root-cutting nozzle trims them back flush to the pipe wall. Roots return if the pipe has a crack or open joint, so we check for that with a camera.
Grease and soap scum
Cooking fat cools and hardens into a ring that narrows the pipe a little more with every dishwashing session. Warm, high-pressure water breaks up that coating so the pipe returns close to its original diameter.
Mineral scale
Crowley water tests at 6 to 9 gpg hardness, and scale builds up inside drain lines, especially in older cast iron. Jetting scours it free. Our water softener and filtration service can slow buildup in the supply side.
Why Sewer Lines Settle in North Texas Clay
North Texas clay swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and that movement pulls on buried drain lines. Over time a section can sag and create a belly where water pools and solids collect. Roots find the joints and make it worse, and a blockage keeps coming back at the same spot.
The local amendments to the 2021 IPC that Crowley has adopted set building sewers at least 12 inches below grade under Section 305.4.1. Shallow or poorly bedded sections feel the soil swing more than deeper ones. If your line is relatively shallow, ask the plumber about the camera footage before you assume a repeat clog is just bad luck.
When Jetting Is the Right Call and When It Is Not
Jetting is powerful, and that is exactly why it should not be used blind.
Good candidates for jetting
- Repeat clogs in a main line that snaking only clears for a few weeks.
- Visible root intrusion or heavy grease on the camera.
- Slow drains throughout the house with no cracked pipe on the video.
- A line that needs maintenance cleaning, such as after a remodel or before a sale.
- Scale-coated cast iron or clay tile that is still structurally sound.
Camera first, jetting maybe not
- Collapsed, cracked or offset pipe, since high pressure can make the damage worse.
- Pipe with a broken joint or missing section, which needs sewer line repair instead.
- Very old or brittle material that has already lost wall thickness.
- A blockage caused by a foreign object that has to be pulled, not pushed.
- A line whose condition is unknown. Book a sewer inspection first.
How a Hydro Jetting Visit Works
Each visit follows the same order so the line is protected.
Camera inspection.
We feed a small camera through a cleanout to see roots, grease, sags and cracks. The footage tells us if jetting is safe.
Choose the nozzle.
A rotating nozzle with rear-facing jets pulls the hose forward and scours the wall. A different head is used for roots, and a different one for grease or scale.
Work the line.
The plumber runs the hose in stages from the cleanout toward the main, pulling back slowly so debris flushes out ahead of the water.
Re-check with the camera.
After jetting we run the camera again to confirm the pipe is clear and show you what the line looks like. If we find damage, we explain it and the options.
Backed-up main line? Call now.
We dispatch day and night, and same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows.
What Affects Hydro Jetting Pricing
We give you a clear price before work starts, based on what we see in the line.
Homeowners insurance usually covers sudden and accidental damage, such as a backup that ruins a floor. It usually does not cover routine drain cleaning or gradual root intrusion, so ask your carrier before you rely on it.
Keep Your Lines Clear After Jetting
Habits that stretch the time between clogs
Scrape plates into the trash, not the sink, and pour cooled cooking grease into a can. Wipes labeled flushable still clog lines, so keep them out of the toilet. Ask us about drain cleaning or periodic sewer line cleaning if your lines have a history of roots.
Hydro Jetting Questions
Yes. We are open 24/7, and a sewage backup can be dispatched at night or on weekends. We book same-day visits when available. Stop using water and call, and we will tell you what to do until we get there.
A snake or cable cuts a hole through a clog and leaves the rest of the buildup on the pipe wall. A jet washes the whole inside of the pipe with high-pressure water. That is why jetting tends to last longer on grease and roots.
It can if the pipe is already cracked, collapsed or very old. That is why we camera the line first. If the footage shows a weak section, we recommend repair instead of jetting.
Jetting cuts roots back to the pipe wall, but if the pipe has an open joint or crack, roots can return. The camera shows whether that is the case. Some homes need periodic cleaning or a spot repair to break the cycle.
A cleanout is the best entry point. If one is missing, we can sometimes jet through a pulled toilet or a vent stack, or install a cleanout. Ask the plumber on the phone what your house has.
No. Chemicals sit in a backed-up line and can burn skin or damage pipes. They are also hazardous for our crew. Stop using water and wait for a licensed plumber.
Yes. We serve Crowley and nearby towns, including Everman. Call and we will confirm what we can schedule that day.