What does jetting do for a drain field?
A jetting hose with a pressure nozzle runs into the drain field lines and flushes out the sludge, scum and roots inside the pipe. It also moves wastewater along the full length of each trench. Dunn Rite offers it as a lighter option than digging up the field.
Because the work goes through access points, the yard stays mostly intact.
What jetting can clear
Solids that escaped a neglected tank and settled in the lines, grease and scum buildup, and roots that have entered a joint.
What jetting cannot fix
Water in a pipe cannot repair the ground around it. Piedmont soils here are largely red clay, which already moves water slowly, so a field built on poor soil may stay marginal even with clean pipe.
What are the signs the lines need attention?
The full list of warning signs covers these in more detail.
- Sinks, tubs and toilets drain slowly even though the tank is not full.
- A soggy or unusually green strip of lawn over one part of the field.
- Sewage odor in the yard, or water ponding over the trenches.
- Gurgling in the plumbing after heavy water use such as laundry day.
How does a jetting visit work?
Pump and inspect the tank
Cleaning lines while a full tank keeps feeding them solids wastes the work. If the tank is due, it is pumped first, and the baffles and outlet are checked.
Check the lines
We look at how water moves through each line. A line that will not take water, or a hose that stops at a certain distance, shows where the blockage or damage is. Whether a camera is used on your job should be confirmed by phone.
Jet and re-check
Each line is flushed, and flow is checked again afterward. Watch the drains and the lawn for a few weeks. If symptoms return, the cause is probably the box, the soil or broken pipe.
When is jetting not enough?
Saturated soil
A field that stays wet because the soil is full will not be fixed by flushing the pipe. Virginia Tech reports that a clogged field can recover if flow is diverted to a second field for about 6 to 12 months, and it advises against digging up a field unless there is no room for another one.
Collapsed or broken pipe
Jetting cannot rebuild crushed or collapsed pipe. That needs a repair, and possibly a permit.
A failed distribution box
If a tilted box is sending all the flow to one trench, flushing the other lines does little. See distribution box repair. When a field is past cleaning, drain field replacement is the next step.
What should I avoid after jetting?
Keep vehicles and heavy equipment off the field, because the EPA notes they compact soil and damage pipes. Do not plant trees or shrubs over it, since roots enter the lines.
Spread out water use, such as laundry across the week, so the field is not flooded in one day. Our work reaches Amherst County and Campbell County as well as Lynchburg.
Pascat photo requestPhoto needed hereJetting hose entering an open cleanout or inspection port at the end of a drain field line, shot from the side at waist height in flat daylight, nozzle and hose reel visible
Common questions
Can jetting fix a failed drain field?
Only when the failure is a blocked or uneven line. If the soil is saturated or the field was undersized, flushing the pipe will not bring it back. The tank, box and lines are checked first, so the visit can end in a recommendation for repair or replacement rather than a jetting that cannot help.
Should the tank be pumped before jetting?
Usually yes. A full tank keeps sending solids into the lines being cleaned. The tank level and baffles are checked first, and the tank is pumped if it is due. Jetting a field without checking the tank can leave the lines clean for a few weeks and clogged again soon after.
How are the lines checked?
By watching how water and the jetting hose move through each line, and where they stop. A line that will not take water, or a hose that halts at a certain distance, shows where a blockage or crushed pipe sits. Confirm by phone whether a camera is used on your job.
Can jetting remove tree roots?
It can clear roots that have grown into a joint or pipe. Virginia Tech says roots must be removed and the joints resealed, so jetting alone may not stop them returning. Trees and shrubs planted over or beside the field keep feeding the problem, so removing the source matters as much as clearing the pipe.
Is jetting a permanent fix?
No. It clears what is in the pipe now. If a full tank, a tilted box or heavy water use caused the clog, it will return until that cause is fixed. Spreading laundry across the week and pumping on schedule keep solids out of the lines after the work.
Does jetting need a permit?
Cleaning lines is normally maintenance, but the rules depend on the work. If jetting finds crushed pipe or damage that needs a repair, a construction permit may apply. Phone the local health department before any work that goes beyond cleaning, and keep the visit record with your septic papers.
Do additives clear a clogged drain field?
Additives do not clear a clogged field. Dunn Rite’s position, shared by the EPA, is that they are generally unnecessary and can harm the system. A pipe packed with solids and roots needs mechanical cleaning, and a tank that is pumped on time keeps new solids from arriving.