Q. I handle maintenance for a fast food chain, and the grease clogs are wearing me out. I clear it with my snake, but the clog comes right back. Is there a better tool for clearing grease clogs for good?
A. Nothing clears a clog for good, but the best tool to clear grease clogs quickly and easily is a water jetter. Grease creates what’s called a self-healing stoppage. The grease sticks to the walls of the pipe. So when your snake punches a hole in the grease to get the water flowing, you haven’t really cleared the clog completely.
Water jets are ideal for clearing grease, as well as flushing sand and melting ice. Jets use a stream of high pressure water that cuts the grease off the walls of the pipe and flushes it away. The thrust of the nozzle drives the hose down the line for wall-to-wall cleaning action.
Electric jets typically offer a maximum of 1,500 psi. Trying to get more pressure from an electric motor runs the risk of pulling too many amps and popping breakers. It’s better to use a gas-powered jetter. You get twice the pressure and flow rate of electric jetters to handle larger and longer lines.
But beware of trying to convert your pressure washer into a water jetter. Jetters use vibration to overcome the friction in the pipe and help the hose glide around bends and farther down the line. If you don’t have pulse, the hose could get stuck in the pipe.
Contact the Drain Brains® at General at 800-245-6200 or by email [email protected].
