Hydro Jetting in Crofton, MD

The Problem

A homeowner in Crofton, MD (21114) had a kitchen drain that had been slow for over a year. They had used chemical drain cleaners repeatedly with temporary improvement. A plumber had snaked the line twice in the past year — each time it would drain normally for a few weeks, then slow again.

They were frustrated with the recurring problem and wanted a permanent solution.

The Diagnosis

We performed a camera inspection before any cleaning. The camera revealed the cause of the recurring problem: the entire interior of the 2-inch kitchen drain line was coated with a thick layer of hardened grease. In the worst section, the effective pipe diameter had been reduced to less than 1 inch.

Snaking had been punching a hole through the grease each time, providing temporary relief. But the grease coating on the pipe walls remained, and the hole would fill back in within weeks.

The home was built in 1978 and the drain line was original cast iron — in good structural condition, but with 45 years of grease accumulation.

The Solution

We hydro jetted the kitchen drain line at 2,500 PSI (reduced from our standard 3,500 PSI to protect the older cast iron pipe) using a rotating nozzle designed for grease removal.

The hydro jetting took approximately 45 minutes to thoroughly clean the 35-foot run from the kitchen to the main stack. A post-jetting camera inspection confirmed the pipe walls were clean — the effective diameter was restored to the full 2 inches.

We also recommended a quarterly enzyme treatment to break down grease before it accumulates — a simple preventive maintenance step the homeowner could do themselves.

The Outcome

The kitchen drain has been flowing freely for 8 months since the hydro jetting. The quarterly enzyme treatment has kept the line clear. The homeowner has not needed any drain service since the initial hydro jetting.

Key Takeaways

• Snaking only punches through grease — it does not remove grease from pipe walls
• Hydro jetting is the only method that fully removes grease coating from pipe walls
• Camera inspection before cleaning reveals the true condition of the pipe
• Older cast iron pipes require reduced jetting pressure to avoid damage
• Quarterly enzyme treatment is effective preventive maintenance for kitchen drains