When a Dunwoody main drain keeps backing up, hydro jetting lets a plumber wash grease, scale and root growth out of the pipe with a high-pressure water nozzle instead of just poking a hole through the clog. It is the common follow-up when cabling hasn't held. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Dunwoody.
Dunwoody's established neighborhoods around Dunwoody Village and along Chamblee-Dunwoody and Mount Vernon roads are older than many people expect. Census survey figures show about 44% of the city's homes were built before 1980, and the 1970s alone account for roughly 28%. Sewer here is a DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management service, not a city one.
What to do now
- Turn off the washer and dishwasher and stop flushing toilets until the line is cleared.
- Look at the lowest drains in the house. If they hold dirty water, the blockage is in the main line.
- Ask a neighbor whether they have the same trouble. A street-wide problem goes to DeKalb's 24-hour emergency repair line, 770-270-6243.
- Find the cleanout cap outside. Don't open it if water is pushing up underneath; leave that to the plumber.
- Call the number on this page and describe what's happening.
Signs and their usual causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Basement floor drain backs up during laundry | Partial blockage in the building drain or lateral |
| Clog returns a few weeks after snaking | Grease or scale left on the pipe wall |
| Roots on the cable | Root entry at a clay or cast iron joint |
| Gurgling toilets when a tub drains | Restricted flow in the main line |
| Several homes on the street affected | A problem in DeKalb's public sewer |
Cost factors
- Whether the line has an accessible outdoor cleanout
- How long the run is to the county main
- Heavy roots or scale versus soft grease
- A camera inspection to check pipe condition on a 1970s home
- Off-hours scheduling
Jetting is cleaning, so no permit is normally involved. If the camera shows damage, Dunwoody handles stand-alone plumbing repairs under its single-trade component permits, and work may not begin until the permit is issued. A plumber can explain whether the pipe looks worth cleaning again or whether a repair is the better spend.
One more Dunwoody detail: many 1970s houses here have basements or lower levels with a floor drain, and those are usually the first place a main-line clog shows itself. If that drain starts holding water or smelling, treat it as an early warning rather than waiting for a full backup. Getting the line jetted at that stage is simpler than cleaning up after sewage has come into a finished basement.
Hydro Jetting questions in Dunwoody
Is high-pressure jetting safe for old cast iron or clay sewer pipe?
What does it mean when more than one drain backs up at the same time?
Can jetting fix a cracked or sagging sewer pipe?
How does hydro jetting compare with cabling a drain?
More plumbing services in Dunwoody
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