How Often Should a Restaurant Hydro Jet Its Drain Lines?

Published November 11, 2026 · By Richie Williams

How often should a restaurant hydro jet its drain lines? Most busy kitchens need it every few months, on a schedule set alongside grease trap pumping and based on what a camera shows in the lines. Pumping the trap alone does not clean the pipes that feed it, and those pipes are where service stopping backups start.

Does pumping the grease trap clean the drain lines?

No. Pumping empties the trap: the grease, oil, and solids that settled out of your wastewater. It is required, and it matters. Here is how often a grease trap needs cleaning. But the trap only catches what reaches it. The lines from your sinks, dishwashers, and floor drains to the trap, and the line from the trap out to the sewer, still collect grease along their walls. Pumping never touches them.

Why do restaurant drain lines clog even with a clean trap?

Warm, greasy water cools as it moves through the pipe and leaves a film behind. Over weeks, that film hardens into a thick coat that narrows the line, and food particles catch on it. Eventually a floor drain backs up or a prep sink stops draining, and it tends to happen on your busiest night.

Why is snaking not enough in a commercial kitchen?

A snake can punch through a blockage and get you running again, but it leaves the grease on the pipe walls, so the line clogs again fast. In a busy kitchen, that turns into repeat emergency calls. Here is the full breakdown of hydro jetting vs. snaking.

What decides how often your lines need jetting?

Volume and menu. A busy kitchen that runs fryers all day builds up grease much faster than a cafe or a small lunch counter. The age of the building matters too, since older lines narrow faster. We set the schedule from what the camera actually shows in your lines, then adjust it as we see how fast they coat.

What are the signs your kitchen lines are due?

• Floor drains that drain slowly or hold standing water
• Gurgling from sinks or floor drains
• A sewer smell in the kitchen or dish area
• Backups after your busiest shifts
• Clogs that keep coming back at the same sink

What does hydro jetting do for a commercial kitchen?

Hydro jetting uses water at very high pressure to clean the full width of the line and flush the grease out to the sewer. We can run a camera before and after, so you have footage showing the lines are clean, which is useful to keep on hand.

A cleaning schedule costs less than a backup during service

Regular jetting, timed with your trap pumping, keeps the kitchen running and keeps you from calling for help on a Friday night. If you are backed up right now, our 24/7 emergency service can get you going again. Call Snake It Away at (781) 858-8314. A family business since 1997, serving restaurants and commercial kitchens across the Boston metro.

Frequently asked questions

Is grease trap pumping the same as hydro jetting?

No. Pumping empties the grease trap: the grease, oil, and solids that have settled in it. Hydro jetting cleans the drain lines that run into and out of the trap, where grease coats the pipe walls. Pumping keeps the trap working, and jetting keeps the lines open. A busy kitchen needs both on a schedule.

How often should a restaurant hydro jet its drain lines?

Most busy kitchens need it every few months. A high volume kitchen with fryers running all day may need it more often, while a small cafe can usually go longer. The best way to set the schedule is to look at the lines with a camera, jet them, and check again to see how quickly the grease comes back.

Does every drain in a commercial kitchen need jetting?

Not always. The lines that carry the most grease, like those from the dish area, prep sinks, and floor drains near the fryers and grill, usually need it most. A camera inspection shows which lines are coating up and which are still clear, so you only clean what needs it.

Can hydro jetting be scheduled outside service hours?

Yes. We are available 24/7, so jetting can be done early in the morning before prep starts or after you close for the night. That keeps the work out of service and your kitchen on its normal schedule.

Will hydro jetting help with a health inspection?

Clear drains help keep standing water, smells, and backups out of the kitchen, which inspectors notice. The camera also lets you see that the lines are clean after the work. Requirements vary by town, so check with your local board of health on what they expect.

What should I do if a kitchen line backs up during service?

Stop running water to the affected sinks and floor drains, and call our 24/7 emergency line. We clear the backup so you can get back to serving, then look at what caused it. If grease buildup is the cause, we will recommend a cleaning schedule so it does not happen again on a busy night.