Forgive my ignorance....I'd rather ask

[simplicity]

I read a post about jetting small interior lines.
Never heard of jetting a small line.
Last I knew, it was 8" lines or bigger.
And only for lines packed with sand at a construction site,
frozen solid with ice, or some other really major type
of line clog or failure.
Where does all the water go until the line breaks open?
It just doesn't make sense to me unless you jet after you auger?
And even then it seems like it would be a huge mess?
The only jet I've ever seen was a huge trailer mounted unit.
It was like a firehose that could cut concrete from 10' away.

[Drain Medic]

I read a post about jetting small interior lines.
Never heard of jetting a small line.
Last I knew, it was 8" lines or bigger.
And only for lines packed with sand at a construction site,
frozen solid with ice, or some other really major type
of line clog or failure.
Where does all the water go until the line breaks open?
It just doesn't make sense to me unless you jet after you auger?
And even then it seems like it would be a huge mess?
The only jet I've ever seen was a huge trailer mounted unit.
It was like a firehose that could cut concrete from 10' away.


I've been reading your posts. You ask good questions. I see you want to start a drain business. If you have never operated a drain machine or a jetter, your going to be in way over your head.

You can jet a line from 1 1/4 to whatever size on up. I have 2 trailer jetters, and a small portable jetter. I do at the minimum 2 jets a day. Both residential and commercial. Usually 4-8in lines. When the line opens, all the water goes into the Twp sewer, or whatever other main lines that a branch line would tie into. Anyway you look at it, you have to be carefull when you water jet.
Someone new to the drain business might want to consider cabling every line before jetting, so you dont flood out a place, until you know what your doing. Then you have to worry about the hoses and cables getting stuck, are you going in the right direction with the jet or cable. Drain cleaning isnt as easy as you might think.

[simplicity]

I've been reading your posts. You ask good questions. I see you want to start a drain business. If you have never operated a drain machine or a jetter, your going to be in way over your head.

You can jet a line from 1 1/4 to whatever size on up. I have 2 trailer jetters, and a small portable jetter. I do at the minimum 2 jets a day. Both residential and commercial. Usually 4-8in lines. When the line opens, all the water goes into the Twp sewer, or whatever other main lines that a branch line would tie into. Anyway you look at it, you have to be carefull when you water jet.
Someone new to the drain business might want to consider cabling every line before jetting, so you dont flood out a place, until you know what your doing. Then you have to worry about the hoses and cables getting stuck, are you going in the right direction with the jet or cable. Drain cleaning isnt as easy as you might think.
Yeah, I do have a good degree of valid experience.
I've done lots commercial and residential lines and ran into my
fair share of night mares.
My Dad was a career Roto-Rooter man and took me on
lots of midnight emergencies while in high school. Then I
did steaming, pumping, and jetting after after high school
for their industrial division.
Later moved on to a small privately owned buisness,
all in Minneapolis. I just don't know al the finite stuff
like a good method of record keeping and how far
I can go as drain cleaner before we start talking
having to be a bonified plumber. I'm sure in
previous ventures I've crossed the line, but where.
In my mind, the key word here is liability.
A very ugly word sometimes!

[Drain Medic]

Yeah, I do have a good degree of valid experience.
I've done lots commercial and residential lines and ran into my
fair share of night mares.
My Dad was a career Roto-Rooter man and took me on
lots of midnight emergencies while in high school. Then I
did steaming, pumping, and jetting after after high school
for their industrial division.
Later moved on to a small privately owned buisness,
all in Minneapolis. I just don't know al the finite stuff
like a good method of record keeping and how far
I can go as drain cleaner before we start talking
having to be a bonified plumber. I'm sure in
previous ventures I've crossed the line, but where.
In my mind, the key word here is liability.
A very ugly word sometimes!


Liability is definitely the keyword. Record keeping can be pretty simple once you find a good program. Finding out from the state, county, and local municipalities you will be able to find out pretty fast and easy what you can do as a drain cleaner. You will need licenses for sure like contractor licenses, business privledge licenses. Just make sure you go to your local municipalites. Some are different then others. I dont know what you need in your state. In my state there is no State license. I went to each municipality to find out what i can and cant do as a drain cleaner. Im in with a Master plumber now, so its all good, but here you still have to register with each township or city. Your going to have to get good liability insurance as well

[Gene Bickford]

Greg,
Do you or any others know of an ins co that has a specific policy for drain cleaning? I saw one at a booth at the pumper show and meant to go talk to them but something else caught my eye. I was like a kid in a candy shop.
My current ins co has me under a general plumbing policy with the understanding I am not a lic plumber. Kinda makes me uneasy.

[Drain Medic]

Greg,
Do you or any others know of an ins co that has a specific policy for drain cleaning? I saw one at a booth at the pumper show and meant to go talk to them but something else caught my eye. I was like a kid in a candy shop.
My current ins co has me under a general plumbing policy with the understanding I am not a lic plumber. Kinda makes me uneasy.


Gene ill give you a call tonight

[gear junkie]

Can you do the chat greg so I can learn too?