Can You Jet a Drain Yourself?

You can buy or hire domestic drain jetting equipment, but there's a significant gap between consumer-grade tools and professional jetting systems — and using the wrong approach on a damaged drain can make things much worse. Here's an honest assessment of when DIY jetting works and when you need a professional.

What to Look For

• Consumer jetting equipment: 1,000–2,000 PSI — suitable for minor surface blockages
• Professional jetting equipment: 3,000–4,000 PSI — clears all blockage types
• DIY jetting cannot clear tree roots, heavy scale, or concrete-like fat deposits
• Using high pressure on a damaged pipe can cause further collapse
• Without CCTV, you can't see whether jetting has actually cleared the pipe
• Professional jetting includes CCTV verification and identifies the cause

How We Diagnose the Problem

Professional drain jetting is always preceded by a camera check to assess the pipe condition. This prevents applying high-pressure water to a pipe that's too damaged to withstand it, and ensures the blockage is fully cleared, not just pushed further down the line.

How We Fix It

For a simple kitchen sink blockage, DIY rodding or a consumer jetter may work fine. For underground drain blockages, recurring problems, or any situation where you suspect pipe damage, professional jetting with CCTV is the safe and effective approach.