Sewage backing up, or a clog that keeps returning
If sewage is rising in a tub or shower, treat it as an emergency. Our licensed plumbers take calls 24/7. Until we arrive, keep every tap and the washer off, keep children and pets out of the room, and do not open any cleanout cap yourself.
Hydro jetting is a cleaning method that sends high-pressure water through a nozzle to scrub the inside wall of a pipe. It differs from a cable, which punches a hole through a blockage, because the jetter removes the coating that causes the next clog. Homeowners usually ask for it after a snake stalls, stalls again or only buys a few months.
Same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows. When you call, tell dispatch which fixture shows sewage first. A backup that appears in the lowest tub or floor drain points to the main line, while one in an upstairs bath points to a branch.
What the water does to a pipe
Grease and soap film
The spray cuts the layered buildup that narrows the pipe a little more with each rinse.
Roots
A rotating nozzle shreds fine roots that slipped in at joints. Roots grow back if the joint stays open, so we tell you what the camera showed.
Scale and sediment
Mineral crust on the pipe floor and walls washes toward the main instead of staying as a ledge.
Debris left by a cable
Strings of hair and wipes that a cable only pushed aside get flushed out.
The nozzle fires jets backward to pull the hose forward, and the same jets push debris back toward the opening, where it can be rinsed away. A cleanout near the house is the usual entry point.
Signs your line needs jetting instead of another snake
- A snake went in and stalled partway down a long run, or it came back coated in grease or root fibers.
- Drains clear for a few months, then slow down again.
- Gurgling in a toilet when the tub drains, or a sewer smell in the lowest bathroom.
- Several fixtures slow together, not just one.
- You are buying a house and the seller mentions past clogs.
Recurring clogs have a pattern. Grease and wipes build a ledge at a bend, the ledge catches the next load, and a cable opens only a narrow hole through it. Roots follow the same logic. The cable cuts the visible part, the water-hungry fibers stay in the joint and the pipe fills again within a season or two.
A single failed snake is not proof. We confirm with a camera, since jetting a pipe with a hidden break only washes sediment out of the crack and into the soil.
Same clog, third time?
A cable opens a hole and water cleans the pipe. Ask which one your line needs.
How a jetting visit runs
- Describe and shut off
You tell us which fixtures back up, and we locate the cleanout or the access point.
- Camera look
A camera shows what is in the line, the pipe material and any offsets, so we choose a safe nozzle and pressure.
- Jet toward the main
We work from the clean end toward the blockage, then pull back along the pipe to wash the wall.
- Second camera pass
A final look confirms the pipe is clean and shows any damage the grease had been covering.
- Flow test
We run water through the line to check the fix under real load.
Whole-house or main line only? A main line job clears the shared pipe. If the kitchen and bath branches are still slow afterward, jetting from a fixture or vent opening reaches them. Tell us which fixtures complain so we price the right scope.
Jetting versus cabling, side by side
| Question | Cable | Hydro jetting |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Cuts through the clog | Cleans the whole wall. |
| Best for | One-time jams, a toy or a clump | Grease, roots, scale and repeat clogs. |
| Risk | Can scratch fragile pipe | Not suited to cracked or collapsed pipe. |
| Result | Water flows today | Water flows and the pipe is scoured. |
| Camera needed | Helpful | Strongly advised. |
The table comes down to a simple rule. Clear a one-time blockage with a cable. Clean a line that keeps clogging with water. If the camera shows a break, repair it first. Our drain cleaning page covers the fixture-level jobs and sewer line cleaning covers the main.
When we would not jet your line
Pipe that is cracked, offset or crushed can be damaged further by high pressure water. If the camera finds that, we show you the footage and talk through a sewer line repair before cleaning. A separate camera inspection is also available as a stand-alone visit.
What affects the price, and who owns the pipe
Four things set the price. How far the nozzle must travel, how much is in the pipe, whether a cleanout exists and how long the camera pass takes. Emergency timing may also matter, so ask about it when you call. Homeowners insurance often covers sudden accidental water damage, but it rarely pays for the clog itself or for wear. Check your policy. Want your real number? Call (855) 575-2890 for a clear price before work starts.
Your line ends where the city main begins. If the main might be blocked, call Brigham City Public Works at (435) 734-6615. We also serve Willard, about 7 miles south, and the same camera-first approach applies there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Our emergency line runs 24/7. A sewage backup at midnight gets the same attention as a weekday call, and we arrange the earliest slot we can. Keep water off and stay out of the affected room until we arrive.
Stop pulling hard, since a stuck head can wrap around a root or lodge in a joint. Call us. A camera tells us what the snake caught on, and we can often free it, then clean the line.
It clears roots out of the pipe, but roots return if a joint or crack stays open. The follow-up camera pass shows where they entered, so you can decide on repair.
It depends on the condition. Sound pipe handles jetting well. Cracked or collapsed pipe does not, and a camera check before we start tells us which you have.
There is no schedule that fits every house. If the line stays clear for years after cleaning, leave it. If clogs return within a year, ask us to look at the pipe itself.
No. The public main belongs to the city. We work on your private line up to the property edge. Call Public Works at (435) 734-6615 if you think the main is the problem.
Sources and standards
- Plumbing codes in the UPC and IPC families set the rules for fixtures, venting and drains. Ask the Brigham City building office at (435) 734-6604 which edition and permit rules apply to your job.
- The Utah Division of Professional Licensing offers a public Verify a License tool for checking any plumber's license class.
Written by Brigham City Pro Plumbing. Last updated October 29, 2026.