Every winter we hear from homeowners and maintenance pros who ask about using Clog Hog sewer jetters to remove frozen blockages from sewer drain lines.

Clearing frozen sewers and drain lines is a common use for Clog Hog sewer jetters, but there are a few extra precautions you should take.

• When clearing a frozen drain line it’s doubly important to maintain a clean water supply, since a clogged jetter nozzle can stop your forward progress in frozen pipes. You can help ensure your water supply is clean by running water through all supply hoses before you attach the jetter, and by checking all open coupling ends to be sure they’re free of dirt and debris.
• Keep the sewer jetter moving and water flowing through the jetter while the jetter is inside frozen pipes.
• Never run a gas-powered pressure washers indoors, since engine exhaust fumes are dangerous in confined spaces.
• Drain the jetter and all supply hoses of water immediately after use to avoid damage from freezing water.

Clog Hog customers also ask whether it’s safe to use heated tap water for the water supply.

• Clog Hog drain cleaners are rated for continuous use with water up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit; this is equivalent to the hot water supply temperature in most homes.
• Before attempting to use your household hot water supply for sewer jetting, check your pressure washer owner’s manual for the machine’s temperature ratings and test the temperature of your hot water supply with a cooking thermometer.

Got questions? Email us.

• Removing silt and debris from landscaping and agricultural drains.
• Clearing sediment from drain tile pipes surrounding a home.
• Cleaning the pipes that connect to septic systems.


While many customers tell us they had an easy time cleaning their outdoor drains with a pressure washer sewer jetter, we’ve also heard from users who said that their projects took patience to complete. The main factors that can help make your job easier include:

• Use of a gas-powered pressure washer with a flow rating of around 2.5 GPM or more, especially when removing dirt, silt, and other heavy debris from outdoor drains. The higher flows produced by gas-powered machines produce far more cleaning force and help to flush out these kinds of materials, for reasons we talk about in this article.
• Outdoor drains that are easily accessible, with a few or no sharp, 90-degree elbows between the drain opening and the problem areas you’re trying to reach.


One customer told us about an especially tough outdoor drain cleaning project: his rural home has over 100 ft. of flexible, corrugated 4″ drain pipe that leads from an area in his basement. Large sections of the line became packed with silt over time, and his only solution was to clear the line with a sewer jetter powered by a gas pressure washer.

Since he was jetting downhill into a completely clogged drain, it was necessary to pump out the dirty debris as it rose up from the drain. In his case he found it easiest to use a Shop Vac, and the project took some patience to complete.

Today we spotted this new, $199 gas pressure washer at a local warehouse club. This unit costs about 1/3 less than any gas model we’ve seen in the past.

Rated to deliver 2.1 GPM  at 2600 PSI, this machine should give you roughly double the cleaning force of a typical electric pressure washer, at only slightly higher cost.

Let us know if you’ve used one of these new, low-cost gas pressure washers and have any comments.

The good news is that only a very small percentage of Clog Hog products are ever returned for a refund.

• It’s rare for owners of gas-powered pressure washers to return their sewer jetters, even though they’re by far the largest group of customers. Historically far below 1% of gas-powered pressure washer owners have returned their Clog Hog drain cleaners.
• Electric pressure washer owners return their drain cleaners far more frequently. Nearly 1 in 20 electric pressure washer owners (or almost 5%) return their sewer jetter for a refund. Several who received refunds told us that they were unable to reach the problem area in the drain when powering their jetter with their electric pressure washer.


You should know that while it’s possible to get effective drain cleaning using a good-quality electric pressure washer (especially a unit rated 1.5 GPM or above), electric machines’ lower GPM and PSI ratings simply deliver less pulling and cleaning power.

Nozzle force equations tell us that a typical electric-powered pressure washer is likely to give you one-third the pulling and cleaning force compared to the lowest-cost gas-powered machine. That’s a big difference, and it’s the reason why switching to a gas-powered machine can improve your odds of a successful drain cleaning job.

We understand that many customers prefer to try sewer jetting first with a less expensive electric machine before they consider borrowing, renting, or investing $300 or more to buy a gasoline-powered unit.

Fortunately Clog Hog sewer jetters are upgradeable. On each product page we offer the Adapter Kit, a pack of screw-on adapters that allows you to convert your jetter to work with nearly every other type of residential pressure washer, gas or electric.

All it takes is your original Clog Hog sewer jetter, the Adapter Kit, and a pair of adjustable wrenches.

Safe operation of a pressure washer sewer jetter attachment starts with reading and following your pressure washer safety instructions, but it doesn’t end there.

When using a sewer jetter it’s doubly important to comply with pressure washer manufacturers’ recommendations to wear thick, fluid-resistant work gloves and eye protection. That’s because:

• Sewer jetters operate inside dirty drains where potentially harmful bacteria reside.
• Sewer jetter nozzles are attached to a flexible hose and so can’t be reliably aimed or controlled if accidentally operated outside of a drain pipe.


Beyond the common-sense precautions of wearing fluid-resistant work gloves and eye protection, there are additional steps needed to operate your jetter safely.

• Do not start the flow of water until the sewer jetter nozzle is more than a foot inside the cleanout opening to avoid being injured by the high-pressure water stream.
• When removing the sewer jetter from the drain after the job, use care to stop the flow of water long before the nozzle reaches the cleanout opening.
• Use sewer jetters only in well-ventilated areas and avoid breathing spray mist from dirty drain pipes.
• Don’t use a sewer jetter in pipes that contain chemical cleaners to avoid burns from the caustic fluid.


If you buy a good-quality, ready-to-use sewer jetter you’ll find a summary of important safety information inside the package.

While developing and testing the Clog Hog pressure washer sewer jetters we learned a few interesting details from pressure washer service mechanics.

• Typical residential-grade pressure washers you can buy for under $500 have pumps with a life expectancy of a few hundred hours at most. For many homeowners who spend a few hours per year power washing a deck or boat, this equates to many years of service. But if you’re going to run your unit, say, more like 10 hours per month you might look for a commercial-grade machine that typically cost around $700 and up.
• It seems that every pressure washer mechanic has a different opinion about which manufacturer produces the best machines. This makes it tough to recommend any particular brand of pressure washer.


Here are some guidelines for selecting a pressure washer that works well with a properly-designed, 100-foot or 50-foot sewer jetter:

• If you’re buying a commercial-grade machine, look for a unit that delivers around 3.5 GPM and is rated at least 3,000 PSI. This size unit gives you strong cleaning and pulling power for at least 100 feet of sewer jetter hose.
• If you’re buying a residential gas-powered machine, look for a unit that delivers 2.5 to 2.9 GPM and is rated as close to 3,000 PSI as possible. This will provide very good cleaning and pulling power with a sewer jetter of up to 100 feet in length.
• If you’re buying an electric pressure washer, look for a unit that delivers close to 2.0 GPM and is rated as close to 2,000 PSI as possible. This type of machine will produce adequate pulling power for over 50 feet of line if you’re jetting uphill from an outdoor cleanout, and usually provides power sufficient to jet 100 feet downhill from an indoor drain opening.


Our article about how to unclog a sewer drain with your pressure washer gives more information about the performance you can expect with different types of machines.

A sewer jetter is a long, flexible, high-pressure hose with a jet nozzle on one end. The nozzle typically has a front-firing jet to break apart clogs, and back-firing jets that propel the jetter hose forward into dirty drains and scrub the sides of the pipes. The other end of the sewer jetter has a fitting that attaches to the spray wand or trigger gun of your pressure washer.

If you already own a pressure washer, a sewer jetter attachment can cost much less than a mechanical drain snake with an equivalent reach. Using a sewer jetter to clear a clogged drain can also be much easier than using a mechanical drain snake, because:

• A sewer jetter nozzle’s back-firing jets pull the hose deep into drain lines so there’s less physical effort required.
• A sewer jetter can thoroughly scrub the sides of a dirty sewer pipe as it travels through the line. This can reduce your need to clean the drain as frequently.
• A sewer jetter can efficiently flush out remaining clog residue after it breaks apart a clog.
• Because it has no moving mechanical parts, a sewer jetter attachment is easier to clean after the job.


For more details see our article about the differences between a mechanical drain cleaner and a sewer jetter attachment.

The key to efficient drain cleaning is to use a sewer jetter attachment with the right combination of nozzle, hose, and fittings to match your particular pressure washer, as described in the following sections.

Electric Pressure Washers

Electric pressure washer flow rates of 2 GPM and below can actually work to your advantage. That’s because these flows work well with smaller diameter jetting hoses that are easier to handle and flexible enough to slide through many drain elbows and larger P-traps. This makes an electric pressure washer a good choice for working upstream of the clog at an indoor cleanout, as discussed in our article about sewer jetting indoors.

With the right choice of jetter components an electric pressure washer is suitable for cleaning residential drain pipes up to 4″ in diameter.

The keys to easier drain cleaning with an electric pressure washer are:

• a jetter hose with the smallest possible diameter that can work without overloading your machine.
• a jet nozzle with orifices that closely match your electric pressure washer’s PSI and GPM rating after accounting for pressure buildup in the sewer jetter line, and a discharge pattern that maximizes pulling power for the smaller GPM flows of your electric pressure washer.
• a coupling end with an adapter that fits your trigger gun so you can use the trigger as the on-off valve and avoid the cost of buying an additional control valve and fittings. Electric pressure washer trigger guns have special styles of connections, so be sure to choose an adapter that fits your model. There’s one style of adapter that fits most Kärcher electric wands, and a different, “universal” style with an O-ring that fits most other brands.


Residential Gas Pressure Washers

The flow rate of a residential gas pressure washer is typically between 2 and 3 GPM. This gives you an ideal balance of jetting power and ease of use for cleaning household drains up to 4″ in diameter.

The keys to efficient cleaning with a residential gas pressure washer are:

• a jetter hose with the smallest possible diameter that can handle the intermediate GPM flow rate without overloading your machine.
• a jet nozzle that’s closely matched to the GPM flow of your machine, with a spray pattern that’s optimized for more thorough cleaning.
• a coupling end with an adapter that attaches directly to the spray wand or trigger gun of your gas pressure washer so that you can use the trigger as your on-off valve and avoid the cost of an additional valve and fittings.


Commercial Gas Pressure Washers

With typical GPM flow ratings of 3 GPM or more, commercial gas pressure washers can give you strong pulling power for deep penetration into long sewer drains and the flexibility to clean drain pipes of up to 6″ in diameter.

You should choose sewer jetter components that match the higher flows and pressure ratings of your commercial gas pressure washer:

• a jetter hose with a diameter that’s large enough to handle higher flows without overloading your machine.
• a jet nozzle with larger orifice openings suited for cleaning a wider range of pipe diameters under higher flow conditions.
• a coupling end with an adapter that matches your pressure washer trigger gun.


Getting Started

The cost to build a reliable 100-foot sewer jetter from quality-made, US or German components starts at less than $150. For information about selecting the right parts, see our articles about choosing the right sewer jetter hose and choosing the right sewer jetter nozzle.

Or, you can buy a ready-to-use sewer jetter, made from quality US components, that’s custom matched for your type of pressure washer.

Next: how to unclog a main sewer drain with your pressure washer.

The parts to build a good quality sewer jetter are available online, as we’ll show in this article. You’ll also find articles to help you choose the right components in the Sewer Jet Tech section of this website.

Can you save money by building your own sewer jetter instead of buying a manufactured one? Not necessarily, as we’ll discuss here.

Shopping for a Manufactured Jetter

Shopping online for a fully assembled sewer jetter can get a working solution in your hands faster than buying and assembling parts from several different suppliers. Manufactured jetters that are matched to your type of pressure washer also offer the assurance of an efficient cleaning solution.

Jetter manufacturers benefit from considerable buying power, so you can often buy a quality, ready-to-use jetter for less than the retail cost of component parts.

For example, the total cost to buy a 100 ft. Clog Hog sewer jetter ranges from $129 to $149. This compares favorably to the cost of buying individual component parts, as we’ll discuss below.

Some sewer jetter manufacturers also provide a money-back warranty so you’ll be assured of getting what you pay for.

Building a Sewer Jetter Yourself

If you choose to build a sewer jetter start with good-quality, properly sized components. As discussed in our article about choosing the right sewer jetter nozzle, paying a few dollars more for a name-brand, US or German-made nozzle can give you improved cleaning power and a longer service life.

And, our article about choosing the right sewer jetter hose explains why you should avoid 1/8″ ID jetter hose to prevent damaging your pressure washer.

Online sources for sewer jetter components are listed below. Some of these suppliers sell both good-quality, name-brand components and low-cost generic alternatives. The price ranges shown are for name-brand, US or German-made parts needed to build a 100 ft. sewer jetter that works with a residential gas or electric pressure washer.

Sewer Jetter Hose, US-made (prices range from $108 to $182, including US shipping)

• Pressure-Washer-Parts.com
• PWMall.com
• UltimateWasher.com


Jet Nozzle, US or German-made (prices range from $19 to $39, including US shipping)

• AquaMole.com
• Dultmeier.com
• Windtrax.com


Adapter Coupling for Trigger Gun or Wand (prices range from $9 to $27 including US shipping)

• Apache Hose & Belting
• PWMall.com
• Pressure-Washer-Parts.com


The total cost to buy parts from these suppliers to build a good-quality, 100 ft. sewer jetter ranges from $136 to $248, including typical US shipping charges. This means that if you comparison shop you can build a good-quality sewer jetter for about the same price as buying a ready-to-use, manufactured unit.

When shopping for sewer jetter parts online, confirm the brand name and origin of your components before you buy.

There are two types of systems designed to clear a blocked main sewer drain:

• You can use a mechanical drain cleaner, also called a plumber’s auger or drain snake.
• You can use a sewer jetter attachment for a household pressure washer.


In general a sewer jetter attachment costs less, can unclog a drain faster, and allows easier cleanup after the job is done. The advantages of each system are discussed in our article about the differences between a mechanical drain cleaner and a sewer jetter.

Regardless of whether you use a mechanical drain cleaner or a sewer jetter attachment, the process to clear a clogged main sewer drain is almost the same.

Locate a Suitable Cleanout Opening

It’s often best to use your main drain cleanout when clearing a clogged main sewer drain. This is because the main drain cleanout is usually located where it’s easier to set up power equipment nearby and cleanup after the job is less of an issue.

Main drain cleanouts are normally found either outside the front wall of your home between your home and the city sewer line or septic tank, or in a basement, crawl space or garage. They can be located on horizontal or vertical drain pipes and are usually identified by a metal or plastic cap with a square fitting on the top as shown in the images above.

You can also use an indoor drain cleanout such as an inlet under a sink that’s upstream of the clog if you follow the precautions discussed in our article about sewer jetting indoors.

Setting Up Your Drain Cleaning Equipment

Set up your equipment with safety in mind. If using electric equipment, plug it into a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet to prevent injury from electric shock.

If you’ve got a gas-powered pressure washer, attach a high-pressure extension hose between the pressure washer and spray wand if needed to operate the gas engine outside.

Even if you’re an experienced user, review and follow the safety instructions that came with your equipment. Wear fluid-resistant work gloves and eye protection.

If you’re using a sewer jetter attachment, connect the jetter coupling to your pressure washer trigger gun or spray wand. Then lay out the sewer jetter hose in a loop that runs out and back to the cleanout opening.

Cleaning the Drain with a Sewer Jetter

Feed the tip of your drain cleaner into the drain opening. If you’re at a tee fitting be sure the tip points in the direction of the clog. Guide the line about a foot into the opening before you squeeze the spray wand trigger to release the flow of water.

You’ll feel a tug as the jet nozzle starts to pull itself into the drain. Continue to feed in the sewer jetter hose as you squeeze the spray wand trigger. For effective cleaning, every few feet pull the hose back about halfway and then continue moving forward.

Should the nozzle reach a drain elbow or other transition and the jetter hose stop moving forward, pull back a foot or so and then move forward again until the nozzle passes through. You can also release and then continue to squeeze the spray wand trigger to create a pulsing action to help the nozzle move forward.

Listen for a surge of liquid as the clog clears, and then move a foot or two back from the cleanout opening momentarily to avoid any splashing liquid.

After you finish cleaning the drain, pull out the jetter hose. Use care to release the spray wand trigger and stop the flow of water before the nozzle reaches the cleanout opening. After you remove the sewer jetter hose replace the cap on your cleanout.

Cleaning Up After the Job

Because a sewer jetter attachment has no moving mechanical parts, you can thoroughly clean it with the gentle nozzle of your pressure washer after the job is done.

After cleaning, inspect the hose and fittings and replace if damaged or worn. Then hang the coiled sewer jetter attachment in your garage or shed, away from direct sunlight, children and pets.

You can find more sewer jetting tips and information on the the Clog Hog website.

If you’re new to sewer jetting you might wonder how long a sewer jetter nozzle can be expected to last. Knowing this information can help you plan the purchase of a spare.

The good news is that high-quality sewer jetter nozzles, including the nozzles found on Clog Hog drain cleaners, tend to wear out gradually with a slow enlargement of their jet orifices over time. For this reason you may not notice as the orifices grow larger and the cleaning pressure at the tip begins to drop.

Nozzle designers say that the life of a sewer jetter nozzle depends on several factors, including:

• The amount of sediments in your water supply
• The operating pressure of your sewer jetter
• The type of pipe cleaned, with PVC (plastic) pipes causing less wear than metal pipes


As a general rule, if you’re using a high-quality sewer jetter nozzle from a US or German manufacturer, have a water supply that’s reasonably low in sediments, own a pressure washer that operates at 4,000 PSI or less, and are cleaning primarily PVC sewer pipe you can expect to perform roughly 20 full-length drain cleanings with a 100-foot sewer jetter before replacing your nozzle.

For most homeowners this equates to several years of use before a replacement nozzle is needed.

Remember to inspect all components of your sewer jetter after each use – including the nozzle, hose, and end fittings – and replace any part that appears damaged or worn.