Hydro Jetting in Mocksville, NC

Is my Mocksville house old enough to worry about the pipe?

It might be. Mocksville's housing falls into two broad groups. About 44% of homes were built before 1980, including the houses in the Downtown, North Main Street and Salisbury Street historic districts. Then there's a large wave of newer construction: about 28% of the town's homes went up between 2000 and 2009, which puts the overall median at 1986.

In the older group, sewer laterals are often clay or cast iron. Clay joints let roots in, and cast iron scales and corrodes from the inside, narrowing the pipe until paper and grease catch on it. Jetting clears both well, but only if the pipe is still in one piece, so plumbers working on an older Mocksville home usually start with a camera. In the 2000s subdivisions the pipe is almost always plastic, and the clogs come from what goes down the drain rather than from the pipe itself.

Who handles the sewer line, the Town or me?

The Town of Mocksville Water and Sewer Department collects and treats the town's wastewater, and its service reaches some customers outside town limits as well. A blockage in the public main is the Town's problem. The lateral running from your house to that main is the owner's side, and that's where most household backups start. If the neighbors are flooding too, call the Town; if it's only you, call a plumber.

What does a jetting visit involve?

The plumber opens the line at a cleanout, usually outside near the foundation. If roots or an older pipe are suspected, a camera goes in first. The jet hose follows with a nozzle matched to the pipe and the blockage, spraying forward to break up the clog and backward to scrub the walls and pull the hose along. Loosened material washes down to the Town main. A second camera pass shows the line is clear and flags any spot, such as a cracked joint or a sag, that cleaning won't fix.

A note on permits in Mocksville

Cleaning an existing line doesn't usually involve a permit. If the camera turns up a section that needs repair or replacement, Mocksville contracts with Davie County Planning and Development Services for permitting and inspections, through the county's office on East Depot Street.