Hydro jetting clears a Spencer sewer or drain line with high-pressure water that cuts roots and scours scale and grease from the pipe wall. Because the town's homes are unusually old, plumbers almost always pair it with a camera inspection to make sure the pipe can take it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Spencer.
Why Spencer's lines are different
Spencer grew up around Southern Railway's Spencer Shops, which opened in 1896 and now house the NC Transportation Museum. Its housing is among the oldest in the area: the median home dates to 1950, about 76% were built before 1980, and roughly a third predate 1940. Many of those houses still have clay tile sewer laterals and cast iron inside. Roots work into clay joints, and cast iron builds up scale until paper snags on it. Jetting can clear both, but an old pipe that has cracked, shifted or collapsed won't hold up to high pressure, which is why a camera comes first. Salisbury-Rowan Utilities handles the town's wastewater; problems in the public main are SRU's to fix.
What to do in the meantime
- Stop running water until the line is cleared.
- Check the lowest drains, such as a basement floor drain or first-floor tub, to see how far the backup has reached.
- Ask neighbors whether they're having trouble. If they are, report it to SRU.
- Find the outdoor cleanout if your house has one. Older homes sometimes lack one, which is worth knowing before the plumber arrives.
- Don't pour chemical drain cleaners into an old cast iron or clay line.
When the plumber arrives, ask to see the camera footage. In a house this age it often shows exactly where a root mass or broken joint sits, and it tells you whether a cleaning will hold or whether a section of pipe is near the end of its life.
What the symptoms usually mean
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Roots on the cable after cleaning | Root intrusion at clay joints |
| Recurring slow drains, rust-colored debris | Scale and corrosion in cast iron |
| Water coming up in the lowest drain | Blockage in the lateral to the SRU main |
| Wet or sunken spot in the yard | Possible break in the sewer pipe |
| Clog returns within weeks of snaking | Buildup left on the pipe wall, or a sag in the line |
Cost factors
- Whether a cleanout exists or has to be added
- The condition of the pipe and how much root or scale is inside
- Camera inspection before and after jetting
- Length of the lateral to the SRU main
- Off-hours scheduling
If the camera shows the pipe needs repair, Rowan County Building Inspections handles permits for Spencer.
Hydro Jetting questions in Spencer
Is high-pressure jetting safe for an old clay or cast iron sewer pipe?
Do I need a camera inspection before a line is jetted?
Sewage is coming up in the house. Do I call the sewer utility or a plumber first?
What if my house has no sewer cleanout?
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