For a Lakewood home, hydro jetting is a thorough cleaning of the sewer lateral with a pressurized water jet that cuts roots and strips grease and scale from the pipe wall. It's usually the next step when a line keeps clogging after it has been cabled. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Lakewood.
Lakewood's sewer patchwork and housing
Lakewood is a large suburban city immediately west of Denver, with Belmar as its town center and Green Mountain inside city limits. Sewer service is a patchwork. The City's provider list includes the Lakewood Water and Sewer Utility, Northwest Lakewood Sanitation District, East Lakewood Sanitation District, Daniels Sanitation District, East Jefferson County Sanitation District, Wheat Ridge Sanitation District, West Alameda Heights Sanitation Service and several water and sanitation districts. The City's My Neighborhood tool will tell you which one serves your address, and that's who to call if a public main backs up.
The housing matters as much as the district. Census survey figures put Lakewood's median home at 1977, with about 56% built before 1980. Many of those houses have cast iron drains inside and clay laterals outside. Cast iron narrows with scale; clay joints let roots in from decades-old trees. Jetting clears both if the pipe is sound, which is why plumbers often scope older lines first.
The City of Lakewood says most plumbing work needs a permit. Cleaning is maintenance, but a repair found on camera goes through the Building Department (303-987-7500) via eTRAKiT.
Snake, jet or fix
| Cable | Hydro jet | Repair | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roots | Opens a channel | Cuts and flushes them | Seals the entry point |
| Scale in cast iron | Slides past it | Removes much of it | Replaces the pipe |
| Grease | Pokes through | Scrubs it off | Not needed |
| Permit | No | No | Yes |
Signs to watch for
- A basement drain backs up during laundry
- The lowest toilet gurgles when sinks drain
- Roots on the cable after snaking
- Clogs that return within weeks
Timing
Root intrusion often shows up in summer, and a lateral that seemed fine in spring can slow by August. If your line has a history of roots, jetting on a schedule before the growing season is easier than a weekend backup.
When you call, say which drains are affected, roughly when the house was built and which sanitation district bills you. If the district has already checked its main and found it clear, that points the plumber straight to your lateral. Until the line is open, hold off on laundry and the dishwasher, and skip chemical drain openers, which are hard on older cast iron and rarely reach a main-line clog.
Hydro Jetting questions in Lakewood
Who should I call first when sewage backs up, the sewer utility or a plumber?
Is a high-pressure water jet safe for an older clay or cast iron sewer line?
Will tree roots grow back into the sewer line after jetting?
What affects the cost of hydro jetting?
More plumbing services in Lakewood
Hydro Jetting nearby
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