Hydro Jetting Grease Blockage — Annapolis, MD
An Annapolis restaurant had a floor drain backing up during peak service hours. We diagnosed a grease blockage 60 feet into the drain line and cleared it with 4,000 PSI hydro jetting — drain flowing freely within 90 minutes.
The Problem
The owner of a small restaurant in Annapolis called us after their kitchen floor drain began backing up during the lunch rush. The drain had been slow for weeks, but the backup during service was unacceptable. They had tried a commercial drain cleaner with no effect.
Our Diagnosis
We ran a camera through the floor drain line. At 60 feet, we found a near-complete grease blockage — years of cooking grease had solidified on the pipe walls, reducing the 4-inch drain to approximately 1-inch effective diameter. The blockage was too far and too solid for cable cleaning. Hydro jetting at 4,000 PSI was the correct tool.
The Repair Process
- 1Ran sewer camera — confirmed grease blockage at 60 feet, near-complete occlusion
- 2Set up trailer-mounted hydro jetter — 4,000 PSI, 18 GPM
- 3Ran jetting nozzle through the full line — 60 feet to the main sewer connection
- 4Made three passes with the rotating nozzle to fully clear pipe walls
- 5Re-ran camera after jetting — pipe walls clean, full diameter restored
- 6Flushed line with 200 gallons of hot water to clear loosened grease
- 7Tested floor drain with full flow — draining immediately with no backup
- 8Provided grease trap maintenance recommendations to prevent recurrence
The Outcome
The floor drain was flowing freely within 90 minutes of arrival. The camera footage after jetting showed clean pipe walls with full diameter restored. We recommended quarterly hydro jetting and monthly grease trap pumping to prevent recurrence. The restaurant was back in full operation for the dinner service.
Key Takeaway
Commercial kitchen drains require regular hydro jetting — grease accumulates faster than in residential applications. A quarterly maintenance schedule is far less disruptive and expensive than emergency service during peak hours.
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Annapolis, MD
May 2026
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Southern Maryland
June 2026
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Dunkirk, MD
June 2026
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