Hydro jetting cleans a Princeton sewer or drain line by forcing high-pressure water through it to clear roots, scale and grease. Because most homes in town are older, a camera inspection is often part of the job. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Princeton.
Princeton's sewer and its housing
The Town of Princeton runs its own wastewater treatment plant, which discharges to the Little River and treats about 275,000 gallons a day. The town reports that the state has lifted its former sewer moratorium and that USDA funding is paying for an expansion of the plant. For a homeowner, that mostly matters for new connections. For an existing home, the pipe from the house to the town main is the owner's, and that's where most backups start.
Princeton's housing is older than the Triangle suburbs. The median home dates to 1977, and about 57% were built before 1980. Homes of that age often have clay tile or cast iron sewer laterals. Clay sections are joined every few feet, and roots find those joints; iron rusts and scales from the inside. Jetting handles both, but a cracked or offset section can be damaged by high pressure, so many plumbers run a camera first on a Princeton line.
How the two main methods stack up
| Issue | Snaking | Jetting |
|---|---|---|
| Root intrusion | Opens a channel through the roots | Cuts and flushes out fine roots |
| Scale in cast iron | Little effect | Scours the pipe wall |
| Grease | Pushes through it | Removes it |
| Damaged pipe | Safer first step | Only after a camera check |
Jetting won't repair a pipe. It won't seal a cracked joint, raise a sagging section or replace missing pipe. What it does is clean the line well enough that those problems can be seen clearly and dealt with, if they exist.
Signs your line needs attention
- Toilets bubble when sinks or tubs drain
- Several fixtures slow at once
- A cable brought back roots or black sludge
- The line has been cleared more than once this year
When problems tend to show up
Roots grow most in the warm months, so root clogs in older Princeton laterals often appear in late summer and early fall. Kitchen grease clogs are more common during holiday cooking. If your line has a history, a cleaning ahead of those seasons can prevent a backup. After jetting, ask the plumber how the pipe looked; on a line this age, that's useful to know even if no repair is needed yet.
Hydro Jetting questions in Princeton
Can older clay or cast iron pipe handle hydro jetting?
Should a camera go down the line before it's jetted?
Does jetting keep roots from growing back?
When sewage backs up, should I call the sewer utility or a plumber first?
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