# Jetter for roof drains?



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I have a customer with some clogged roof drains. It is mostly pea gravel, dirt and tar, very clay like. A rodder won't go thru it. Does anybody jet in this case?

Jeff


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

jjbex said:


> I have a customer with some clogged roof drains. It is mostly pea gravel, dirt and tar, very clay like. A rodder won't go thru it. Does anybody jet in this case?
> 
> Jeff


Unless you can jet it backwards I don't see how it could do much good.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Can you get to it and cut it out or is this not possible? Havent jetted roof drains, only exterior lines.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

KTS,
the risers are 3-4 foot long on the short roofs and maybe 10-11 foot long on the high roofs. The jam is right at the bend. There is very limited acess in side, some have no access. I was thinking that the jetter would at least liquify the sludge and give me fighting chance to rod it, or hit it with the _Kinectic Ram, _which did great on some shower drains, by the way, 1st time I have ever used it. My partner got some great backblast from the ram, the best was a full on crotch shot. 2nd best was a half facial. It was only storm water, so he wasn't puking.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Chad,
the drains are all lead and oakum, XH cast iron in 4." Unfortunately, cutting the elbows out won't work on all of them. They are 17' above the floor, and conveyors and machines are all over the place. I can get to maybe 3 out of 5 on a 14' step ladder, two are just not accessible.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

jjbex said:


> Chad,
> the drains are all lead and oakum, XH cast iron in 4." Unfortunately, cutting the elbows out won't work on all of them. They are 17' above the floor, and conveyors and machines are all over the place. I can get to maybe 3 out of 5 on a 14' step ladder, two are just not accessible.


Ahh... That sucks. Jet may give you that extra push you need to unstop the drains, dont see where it would hurt.


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## jrsaltz (Sep 15, 2008)

I recently jetted a half dozen roof drains at a post office. 

They too were full of gravel and leaves. I used a 3/8" hose with a penetrating nozzle. I was able to back drag some of the material but most of it was flushed down the drain. 

Worked great for me. Every situation will be different though.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

jr,
thanks for the reply. I don't have a jetter, yet, but I can rent one.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

The ridgid 4 bladed cutters will handle this with ease. This is sediment that had harden to concrete.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

We've jetted quite a few roof drains...
It works well!
Sure beats digging through gravel, leaves and dirt with a blade.


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## That One Guy (Sep 14, 2008)

I recently jetted some roof drains at Taco bell using the mini hose. Lots of gravel and silt and a small tree growing on the roof! I have never seen a tree on the roof before but it had roots all in that thing. It didnt want to go in but after a few twist's and pulls it busted through and alowed me to make a few more slow passes to clean the line. 

JJBEX, just curious, what kind of jetter can you rent?


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

I've never had a problem jetting roof drains.

Mark


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

*Rental Max *rents out smaller jetters.


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## That One Guy (Sep 14, 2008)

Interesting, none of the rental yards here rent them that I know of.


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## A Good Plumber (Jun 18, 2008)

Purchase a longer section of 1-1/4" shop-vac hose, use a 5hp shop-vac and attach the hose to a push rod. I've had to do just what your trying to do and it works great. Push the push-rod slowly and you may need to occasionally pull it all the way out to clear some of the loose gravel


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