Help and FAQ

How does a sewer jetter work?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is a sewer jetter that uses the force of pressurized water to pull itself through pipes, scrub the sides of dirty drains, break apart clogs and flush out residue. A jet nozzle provides the pulling and cleaning force.

Every Clog Hog drain cleaner comes fully assembled, and consists of:

• A High-Pressure Line that's flexible enough to pass through most sewer drain elbows, yet handles up to 4,000 PSI.
• A Jet Nozzle with one forward-firing jet that breaks apart clogs, and three back-firing jets that pull the high-pressure line deep into clogged drains.
• A Coupling that's designed to fit your type of pressure washer.

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is made from quality, industrial-grade components and is custom-matched for different types of gas-powered and electric machines.

How do I use it?

How does it attach to my pressure washer?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner attaches to different types of pressure washers in slightly different ways.

• If you've got an electric pressure washer, the Clog Hog drain cleaner attaches to the body of your trigger gun after you remove the original spray wand lance by pressing the lance against the trigger gun body and turning counterclockwise.

• If you've got a gas-powered pressure washer, the Clog Hog drain cleaner attaches to the body of your trigger gun after you remove the original spray wand by turning the collar on the spray gun body clockwise.

What sizes of pipe can I clean?

• Clog Hog drain cleaners for residential gas-powered pressure washers and electric pressure washers are generally effective cleaning drains up to 4" in diameter.

• Clog Hog drain cleaners for commercial gas-powered pressure washers are generally effective cleaning drains up to 6" in diameter.

• You can use a pressure washer sewer jetter to clean PVC (plastic) and metal pipe down to 1" in diameter, however it can be difficult to pass the jetter nozzle through sharp, 90-degree elbows in smaller-diameter drains.

Is it safe for my pipes?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is designed for PVC (plastic) and metal drain pipes.

Some types of ceramic (clay) drain pipes found in historical homes might not be suitable for cleaning with pressurized water.

If you suspect that your pipes have structural damage or are weakened by tree roots, foundation damage, or other causes you should avoid using a sewer jetter and contact a licensed plumber for help.

Can I use a sewer jetter in ceramic drain pipes?

We usually discourage homeowners from using sewer jetters to clean ceramic pipes for these reasons:

• It might be possible for a sewer jetter to score or erode your ceramic pipe. To test your pipe before buying a jetter you can configure your pressure washer for its most powerful spray wand setting, repeatedly spray a small, exposed sample of the pipe at short distance, and check for any scoring or etch marks. Be sure to wear gloves, safety glasses, and other protective gear.

• Because sewer jetters pull themselves into your drain, they can also pull themselves into any gap or large breach in your ceramic pipe. This could result in a difficult extraction job. If you're concerned that your ceramic pipe may have gaps or large holes you should ask a licensed plumber for help.

Can I run a Clog Hog drain cleaner through a toilet?

Instead of running a sewer jetter through a toilet, it's recommended that you remove the toilet, run the jetter directly into the drain opening in the floor, and then reinstall the toilet.

That's because a sewer jetter's steel nozzle can scratch the visible ceramic material and can get stuck inside the tight bends of many toilets.

Can it clear outdoor drain tiles, septic lines, and landscaping drains?

Clog Hog drain cleaners are often used to clean outdoor drains. Common uses include:

• Removing silt and debris from agricultural and landscaping drains.

• Clearing sediment from drain tile pipes that surround a home.

• Cleaning the pipes that connect to septic systems.

Our blog has an article with more details about cleaning outdoor drains.

Can it remove tree roots?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner can't cut through tree roots. It can clear sediment around tree roots that contributes to drain blockage, but growing roots will eventually need to be cleared with a different machine that’s designed for that job.

To remove tree roots plumbing service companies typically use very large truck or trailer-mounted jetters with special cutting nozzles, or mechanical drain augers with cutting blades.

Can I use the Clog Hog drain cleaner indoors?

You can clear clogged pipes from inside your home by following these steps.

• Always use the Clog Hog drain cleaner in a well-ventilated area.

• Always operate a gas-powered pressure washer outside. If the hose from your gas-powered pressure washer to the trigger gun isn't long enough to reach the indoor drain entry point such as a cleanout or a drain opening under a sink, use an extension hose.



• To avoid water damage to floors, check all hose and trigger gun connections for leaks outdoors with the pressure washer running before you bring the water line inside.

• For easier handling and cleanup, partially unroll and insert the high-pressure line in smaller increments as needed.

• It is recommended that you unroll and roll up the high pressure line in an area where it will be easy to clean after use, such as a bathtub, shower stall or sink.

Can it clean swimming pool drain lines?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is not recommended for swimming pool drain lines. That's because unlike sewer drains, most swimming pool drains are made from PVC cold water supply pipes that use sharp 90-degree elbows.

It can be very difficult to pass a sewer jetter nozzle through small-diameter pipes that have sharp, 90-degree cold water supply elbows.

It's usually much easier to pass a sewer jetter nozzle through larger-diameter, long-radius elbows found in most sewer drain lines.

How long does it last? Should I buy an extra nozzle?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is designed to be used many times, but its components will eventually wear.

The life of your jet nozzle depends on the operating pressure of your jetter, the amount of sediments in your water, and the type of pipe that you clean — with PVC (plastic) pipes producing less wear than metal. Your jet nozzle will normally wear gradually over time, with a slow enlargement of nozzle orifices and a gradual drop in cleaning pressure the result.

If your water supply is reasonably free of sediments, your pressure washer operates at 4,000 PSI or less, and you are cleaning primarily PVC drain pipes, you can expect around 20 full-lengths cleanings with a 100 foot Clog Hog drain cleaner before replacing your nozzle. We offer a replacement nozzle in the Gadget Pack, shown at the bottom of each product page.

You can prolong the life of your high-pressure line by:

• Taking care not to knot, kink or mishandle it,
• Keeping it away from hot surfaces such as engine exhausts,
• Draining out water before storing it, and
• Keeping it in a cool place away from sunlight when not in use.

You should inspect all components of your Clog Hog drain cleaner after each use – including the nozzle, hose, and end fittings – and replace any part that appears damaged or worn.

Is it ready to use? What else do I need to buy?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner comes fully assembled and ready to use, including the high pressure line, jetter nozzle, and adapter to fit most types of pressure washers.

If you own an electric pressure washer you can buy a set that includes a drain cleaner and an adapter kit.

What length of Clog Hog drain cleaner do I need?

Choose a 100-Foot model if:

• You plan to clear your drain line from outside your home, and the distance from the main drain cleanout to the furthest indoor plumbing fixture (measured around square corners) is between 50 and 100 feet.

Choose a 50-Foot model if:

• The distance from your main drain cleanout to the furthest indoor plumbing fixture is not more than 50 feet, or

• You only plan to clean your drain line from inside your home, and the distance from your indoor cleanout downstream to the problem area is not more than 50 feet.

Do you sell drain cleaners over 100 ft. long?

Clog Hog drain cleaners are sold only in 50 and 100 ft. lengths.

You can find information on our blog about designing longer drain cleaners using parts purchased from other suppliers. We take advantage of large manufacturing volumes to offer competitive pricing on Clog Hog products, so you should expect to pay more to build a drain cleaner from individual parts.

Can I join two sewer jetters together to make a longer jetter?

This is not recommended for two reasons.

First, the Clog Hog drain cleaner uses a high pressure line and nozzle that are matched to work within the limits of your pressure washer. Adding more line could overload your machine.

Second, any coupling that you'd use to connect two high pressure lines will be weaker and less flexible than the original line. Should the coupling break inside a drain pipe you'd have a difficult extraction job.

If you're comfortable doing the math and assembly, our blog has a series of articles to guide you in building a longer jetter using parts that you buy from other suppliers.

Will it work with my model of pressure washer?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner works with most cold-water gas and electric pressure washers rated from 1,200 to 4,400 PSI with flows ranging from 1.5 to 4.0 GPM. This includes many residential and commercial machines.

There are different Clog Hog drain cleaner models to match different types of gas-powered and electric pressure washers.

Please see our model C-100-MLS and C-50-MLS pages if you own one of these machines:

• Cam Spray^™ 1600HX or 3000HX
• Simpson^™ DD / DDF / HDDF 2000

Clog Hog drain cleaners are not compatible with Simpson DD/ DDF/ HDDF/ DG 1500 series machines. Cam Spray and Simpson models not listed above are compatible with our standard drain cleaners.

My machine is 3.0 GPM. Can I use your jetter that's rated up to 2.9 GPM?

If your machine is rated 3.0 GPM you should use our commercial sewer jetter rated for 3.0 to 4.0 GPM. Residential sewer jetters that are rated up to 2.9 GPM will overload many 3.0 GPM pressure washers.

Can I order by phone, mail, fax or email?

We accept credit card orders through our website. Please contact us for assistance if you're having difficulty ordering online.

Can you send me a printed catalog?

We don't provide printed catalogs, but you can download and print this one-page product guide (PDF):

Clog Hog Product Guide (140 KB)

How is it different from a mechanical drain cleaner?

• Efficient Power. The Clog Hog drain cleaner pulls itself into clogged pipes using the force of water from your pressure washer. In contrast, a mechanical drain cleaner uses an electric motor that twists a cable into the drain by mechanical force.



• Thorough Scrubbing. The Clog Hog drain cleaner scrubs your pipes with a high-pressure water spray as it travels up the line.

• Effective Cleansing. After its jet nozzle breaks apart a clog, the Clog Hog drain cleaner helps wash the residue out of your drain pipe.

• Less Work. A Clog Hog drain cleaner pulls itself through your pipes so you don't have to wrangle a heavy auger cable to reach the clog.

• Lower Cost. A Clog Hog drain cleaner costs only a fraction of what you'd pay for a mechanical drain auger of the same length.

• Lighter Weight. You can easily carry a Clog Hog drain cleaner in one hand. Compare this to mechanical drain cleaners that can weigh from 70 to over 250 lbs.

• Simpler Cleanup. The Clog Hog drain cleaner has no electrical or moving mechanical parts so you can safely clean it with the gentle nozzle of your pressure washer after use. After cleaning you can hang it in your garage or shed without bringing odors indoors.

• Flexible Setup. Because the Clog Hog drain cleaner is lightweight and easier to keep clean, it can be suitable for both outdoor and indoor use.

The Clog Hog drain cleaner isn't designed to extract tree roots, large rocks or jewelry and can't solve structural piping problems. If you suspect that you might have one of these issues you should contact a licensed plumber for help.

How is it different from other sewer jetters?

We think you'll find that cleaning your drain with your pressure washer is much easier than using a mechanical drain snake.

However, until now it's been difficult to find a sewer jetter that works with your pressure washer. That's because most jetting hoses are either too restrictive to handle your machine's rated GPM flow, or are too bulky to move efficiently through your drain.

And, most sewer jetting nozzles we tested have such loose manufacturing tolerances that it's impossible to predict if they can work reliably.

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is different because it's designed for your type of pressure washer, with a specially selected high-pressure line and a precision-machined, stainless steel nozzle.

Where is it made?

The Clog Hog drain cleaner is manufactured in the USA, and most of its materials and component parts are also US made.

How can I help make sure the job will go smoothly?

You can save time by planning your drain cleaning job in advance.

• Plan your access. It's usually easiest to clear the main drain starting from a downhill opening and working in an uphill direction. Locate both a primary drain opening such a main drain cleanout outside your home or in a basement, and an alternative opening upstream of the clog (should it become necessary) such as an indoor drain opening or a roof vent.



• Get the right safety gear. When using a sewer jetter always wear thick, fluid-resistant work gloves and eye protection.

• Check your pressure washer. Before connecting your sewer jetter, test your pressure washer by spraying with its highest pressure setting for at least 15 seconds. If the machine works without its engine stalling or the unloader valve cycling off and on, it's likely to be in good condition.

• Be sure all supply hoses are free of debris. A small amount of dirt inside your supply hoses can plug your jetter, so before connecting the jetter to your pressure washer you should always run water through all supply hoses, the pressure washer and trigger gun until you are sure that the water is clean.

• Know the condition of your pipes. You should call a licensed plumber for help if you suspect that your drains have structural problems caused by foundation cracks or large tree roots, or if you live in an historic home that has ceramic or wood fiber drain pipes.

What can I do if one of the nozzle jets doesn't spray?

Nozzle jets can sometimes be blocked by sediment and small particles that can be introduced when you store and assemble your garden hose and jetter. To clear a blocked jetter nozzle:

• Insert a tiny pin into the blocked nozzle and, using care not to break the pin, check to see if this clears the blockage. For easier cleaning we offer a miniature nozzle cleaning tool in the Gadget Pack, shown at the bottom of each product page.

• To clear out larger sediment, remove the jetter nozzle by securing the collar of the jetter hose with a wrench and loosening the nozzle with pliers wrapped in a soft cloth. Take care not to twist the steel collar against the hose. Carefully rap the nozzle opening squarely against a clean, hard surface to dislodge the sediment. Then replace and re-tighten the nozzle.

What can I do if no water flows out of the jetter at all?

If no water flows out of the jetter nozzle it's likely that dirt or debris has entered the jetter from an open garden hose or another source.

Note: it's rare for jetters to become completely clogged. However, because a small amount of debris can block your jetter, before connecting the jetter to your pressure washer you should always run water through all supply hoses, the pressure washer and trigger gun until you are certain that the water supply is clean.

If your jetter is completely clogged, first remove the nozzle to check for dirt inside. To remove the jetter nozzle secure the collar of the jetter hose with pliers wrapped in a cloth or a wrench, and loosen the nozzle with a second set of pliers wrapped in a cloth. Take care not to twist the steel collar against the hose. Check the inside of the nozzle for debris.

• If you find dirt or debris inside the nozzle you can usually remove it by raping the nozzle opening squarely against a clean, hard surface to dislodge the sediment, or by using a Q-tip®. Then replace and re-tighten the nozzle.

• If the inside of the nozzle is clean or only partially blocked, a significant amount of dirt or debris could be blocking the opposite (inlet) side of the jetter. It's usually easiest to clear inlet blockages using compressed air from an automotive tire pump or compressor that's connected to the nozzle end of the jetter. Please contact us for assistance before cleaning your jetter with air.

My pressure washer cycles off and on when operating the jetter. Is this normal?

When used with a compatible Clog Hog drain cleaner your pressure washer should work without overloading. When a pressure washer is overloaded its unloader valve will cycle off and on. This sounds the same as constantly squeezing and releasing the spray gun trigger, and can result in much lower cleaning efficiency.

The most common reason for a pressure washer to become overloaded is reduced performance caused by old gasoline, a gas engine in need of a tune up, or a pressure washer valve that becomes stuck after a long period of inactivity.

To test your machine's performance before connecting the drain cleaner, use your pressure washer on its most powerful setting. If you can spray normally for at least 15 seconds without the engine stalling or the unloader valve cycling off and on, it's likely that your pressure washer is in good condition.

The second most common reason for a pressure washer to become overloaded is dirt or debris entering the jetter from an open garden hose, decaying garden hose seals, or another source.

To check for a blocked jetter, attach the pressure washer to the garden hose, connect the trigger gun and jetter, turn on the garden hose valve, and without starting the pressure washer squeeze the spray gun trigger so that water at low, household pressure flows through the jetter.

If the jetter hose and nozzle are free of debris you'll see one forward stream and three backward water streams of equal strength spraying from the jetter nozzle.

If the nozzle is blocked you'll see uneven, weak, or fluctuating streams. In this case you can clean the nozzle as noted on this section of the FAQ page.

I'm having problems reaching the clog. What can I do?

If the sewer jetter has difficulty passing through a particular section of drain pipe there are several possible solutions.

• You can pulse the flow of water with the pressure washer trigger gun as you pull back on the line and feed it forward. Often times this helps the nozzle pass through an elbow or other transition.

• You can disconnect the jetter from the pressure washer trigger gun, coil up the exposed line, and turn the bundle several times in a clockwise direction to add some twist to the line. Then reconnect the jetter, resume the flow of water, and try to pass through the area again.

• Check to be sure that the all of the jetter nozzle orifices are spraying normally.

  To check for a partially blocked nozzle, attach the pressure washer to the garden hose, connect the trigger gun and jetter, turn on the garden hose valve, and without starting the pressure washer squeeze the spray gun trigger so that water at low, household pressure flows through the jetter.

  If the jetter hose and nozzle are free of debris you'll see one forward stream and three backward water streams of equal strength spraying from the jetter nozzle.

  If the nozzle is blocked you'll see uneven, weak, or fluctuating streams. In this case you can clean the nozzle as noted on this section of the FAQ page.

• If none of these approaches work, you can try an alternative drain opening to reach the clog – for example, by starting at an indoor cleanout under a sink or at a roof vent, and jetting downhill.

• If your pressure washer is rated below 2.0 GPM, consider using a machine with a higher GPM rating to better power the jetter through the pipe.

How can I get my sewer jetter delivered faster?

• Customers in the Continental USA can usually receive their orders 1-3 days faster by providing a street address for their shipping address (and not a PO Box). Your street address is required for UPS shipping, since UPS does not deliver to PO boxes.

• US customers can also specify added-cost Next-Day and 2nd-Day Air delivery. This option appears on the payment page of your checkout, before you enter payment details.

• Customers outside the USA should provide a telephone number to help speed customs clearance.

Where do you ship Clog Hog products?

We ship to the Continental USA by UPS and USPS. We ship to other regions worldwide by US Postal Service Priority Mail. Shipping rates are calculated at checkout.

For delivery to US military FPO addresses please choose USPS shipping when you checkout.

How long until I receive my order?

We ship on the same day more than 90% of orders received online before 3:00 PM (US Central time) Monday through Friday.

• Standard delivery to the Continental USA usually takes 3-5 business days after receipt of your order.

• Priority mail delivery to Canada, Alaska and Hawaii usually takes 4-6 business days after receipt of your order.

• Priority Mail International delivery to most countries outside of North America usually takes 6-12 business days after receipt of your order.

• You can specify added-cost Next Day or 2nd Day shipping to the Continental USA at checkout. We don't offer these added-cost options for other regions because of the high fees.

To calculate a detailed US delivery estimate visit the UPS website. Our "Ship From ZIP Code" is 78746, typical package weights are under 10 lbs., and our standard shipping is by UPS Ground. Note that to view UPS Ground delivery times you must specify a weekday shipping date.

From where do you ship?

We ship from Austin, TX 78746.

What is your return policy?

Homeowners

If you're a homeowner, landlord, property maintenance supervisor or other do-it-yourself user you can return your Clog Hog drain cleaner within 30 days of your purchase if not satisfied.

Commercial Users

If you're using your Clog Hog drain cleaner to provide a paid service, please make all returns and exchanges within 30 days of your purchase date. To receive a refund the returned item must be unused, with all packaging intact. Items that are found to be defective within 30 days of your purchase will be repaired or replaced at our option. Our commercial warranty does not cover wear or damage from rough handling and unintended uses.

To Return an Item

If you wish to return or exchange an item please email us the following details:

• Your name as it appears on your order
• Your order date
• The name and model number of the item that you wish to return or exchange
• Whether you wish to receive a refund or exchange
• The reason for the return or exchange

We will promptly send you a return number (RMA #). Please include a note with the following information inside your returned package:

• Your RMA #
• Your name
• Your return address
• Your daytime phone number
• Whether you would like credit or an exchange

If returning a used item, thoroughly clean the outside with a gentle water spray and drain all water out of the inside before packing it.

We pay the two-way shipping costs to replace or repair items that are found defective in normal use. You pay the shipping for returns and exchanges.

Once we receive the item, we will promptly issue you a refund, exchange or repair.

If you have an issue or concern that falls outside our normal warranty, please email us.