Hydro jetting in Pickering is professional drain and sewer cleaning with a high-pressure water jet, and Hayes Plumbing provides it to homeowners across the city. Unlike a drain snake, which opens a path through a clog, a jetter cleans the full inside surface of the pipe, removing grease, soap, sludge and light root growth that would otherwise narrow the line again. We decide between snaking, jetting or both after hearing the line's history, and we inspect it with a camera first when its condition is uncertain, so a damaged pipe is not mistaken for a dirty one.
Snake, jet or camera first? How we decide
- A single, recent clog in one fixture is usually snaked first, because that is the faster and less invasive fix.
- Grease, sludge or soft buildup along a kitchen or laundry line is jetted, so the whole pipe wall is cleaned rather than one channel.
- A hard blockage or dense root mass is opened with a cable machine and cutter, then jetted to flush out the loosened material.
- A recurring problem with no clear cause, or a pipe that may be cracked or offset, is inspected with a camera before any cleaning, since a damaged line may need repair rather than pressure.
What the City and the Region each look after in Pickering
Toilets, sinks, tubs and showers, dishwashers and washing machines, and the basement floor drain all connect to the sanitary sewer, which the Region of Durham plans, builds, operates and maintains. Pickering and Ajax wastewater is treated at the Region's Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant on McKay Road in Pickering. The City of Pickering is responsible for stormwater: the ditches, culverts, catch basins, storm sewers and ponds that carry rain to local creeks and Lake Ontario.
On the sanitary side, the Region's crews clear a residential connection from the main to the property line when a backup is found outside private property, and the Region repairs residential connections from the property line to one metre outside the foundation. The pipe inside the house and within that metre is the owner's to repair, and a blockage on private property is the owner's to clear.
Keeping a Pickering kitchen line clear after jetting
Jetting resets the pipe, but what goes down the drain decides how long it stays clean. The Region suggests letting fat, oil and grease cool or soaking it up with paper towel and putting it in the green bin, and taking large amounts to a Regional waste management facility, where it is accepted free when delivered separately. Food waste, hair and wipes belong in the bin, not the drain or the toilet.
Hydro jetting cost in Pickering
Drain cleaning is listed at $150 to $400 in our 2026 Oshawa plumbing cost guide, depending on the severity and location of the blockage. Jetting a line usually costs more than snaking it, since it takes more equipment and time, so we quote it once we have seen the run, the access and the pipe. Estimates in your home are free, and you will have the price in writing before we start.