Water Jetters:
Clearing Clogs with High-Pressure H₂O

  Water jetters are handy pipe-cleaning tools that can tackle clogs that could stymie cable machines.

   How do jetters work? Essentially, high pressure water flows out the back of a nozzle, pulling a hose down the line. Because the hose is flexible, there must be enough water pressure to pull the weight of the hose and enough force to cut the grease or other substances off the walls of the pipe.

   Jetters are sized on psi and gpm capacities.The size of jetter required is based on the length and diameter of the pipe to be cleared. The more water flow and pressure you can use, the easier the job is, and the faster the job will get done. Water flow becomes even more important on larger diameter lines, because you need more water to flush it.

   “A water jetter is good for what we call ‘soft blockages’,” said Matt Ondrejko, director of marketing, Ridge Tool Co. , a division of Emerson, St. Louis.

   “When you have something like grease or sludge, if you run a cable machine down the line, what the cable’s going to do is bore a hole in the clog. A jetter allows you to go in and scour the line, removing all of the embedded material around entire diameter of the pipe so that you can restore complete flow."

   Jetters can deal with stoppages cables can’t, added Marty Silverman, vice president of marketing, General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Co., McKees Rock, Pa.  “A sticky stoppage like grease adheres to the walls of the pipe and seals up again after the cable is removed. That’s what we call a self-healing stoppage.”

   Cold water is used because hot water would melt the grease only to have it congeal elsewhere and create a new stoppage, Silverman said. It breaks up the grease so it can flow down and out.

   Jetters are used at grease-prone restaurants or food processing sites, on farms with mud-and-debris-filled culverts, in older homes with sagging water lines that fill with debris, and in cold climes, where they can melt and cut through ice in pipes.

   “We had a large hotel start using our electrical jetters to clean out their sink and shower drains because nobody likes to stand in four inches of backed-up water,” Ondrejko said. Jetters are useful in island areas where people tend to track sand into the bath and in heavily wooded areas to flush leaves and other debris from gutters and downspouts.

   Jetters come in electric and gas-fired models, from small hand-held units to powerful, trailered systems. When choosing a jetter, Ondrejko suggest opting for a model with enough power for the jobs you plan to do. The larger machines can do smaller lines, but the smaller machines can’t do larger lines.

   You can put a smaller hose on a larger machine and dial down the pressure to get into a smaller line, Silverman said. “But, if I have a small machine, I can’t go any higher than the machine is rated for. I always recommend getting the larger machine; it will handle all the jobs that you need.”

PEOPLE 

Bradley Corp. has named Mike Sipek (left) Chief Operating Officer. Sipek will assume leadership when current CEO, Bill Andersen, retires later this year. Bryan Mullett (right)  was promoted to vice president of operations. Continuing the company’s family-owned tradition, Bryan and his brother Erik are the fifth generation of Mulletts to lead Bradley. 


In management changes at BrassCraft, Todd Talbot is returning to his native California as president of an industrial and commercial building company. Don Woody, most recently president of Liberty Hardware, will become president of BrassCraft/Alsons. Charles Pryde (left) has been promoted from channel manager to national accounts manager, The Home Depot.

Mike Gaughan has rejoined Watts Water Technologies Inc. as western regional manager of the Automatic Control Valve Group. He’ll be based in Southern California.

Caroma USA has hired Kurt Bramstedt as business development manager for the Southwestern U.S. Previously, Bramstedt worked in plumbing and industrial sales and specification in Southern California and Nevada.

Lasco Bathware has appointed Shelly Roberts to regional sales manager. She will directsales in the California, Nevada and Arizona territories.

Robert Wysock has joined MSJI Inc. as sales manager. He will support and coordinate sales to distributors, co-ops, wholesalers and home centers. Previously, Wysock was a sales manager for the Standard Companies.

Inge Calderon has stepped down as executive vice president of the American Supply Association to assume the post of executive director of the ASA Education Foundation. Paul F. Martin, who has served as foundation executive vice president since 1997, will continue his work developing educational programs.

DRAIN & SEWER

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

General Pipe Cleaners ' improved Mini-Rooter XP features a new “up-right” frame design with roll bars to protect the motor when taking the machine up and down stairs, or loading it into the truck.  A variable speed Power Cable Feed enables the operator to feed or retrieve the cable at up to 16 feet per minute.  It can quickly adjust to take 1/2" and 3/8" cables without requiring tools or additional parts. The Mini-Rooter XP rolls on 8" semi-pneumatic wheels and its rubber feet hold it solidly in position on the job. The handle folds down to save space and locks into place to act as a lifting handle. The powder coated drum can hold up to 75 ft. of 1/2" cable and has an inner drum cage to help prevent cable tangling.