Been there myself more times than I care to admit. Hydro-jetting is great for clearing out the gunk temporarily, but it's usually just buying you some time if you've got a bigger issue lurking down there. Had a customer a few months back who swore jetting was all they needed—until the next heavy rain flooded them again. Turned out, roots had grown into their drain line and cracked it wide open. Jetting knocked the roots back, but they just kept coming—like some plumbing version of whack-a-mole.
In your case, if you're seeing repeat backups every time it rains, chances are there's something structural going on. Could be roots, could be a cracked pipe, or even a collapsed section. Sometimes older homes have clay pipes that just can't handle decades of shifting soil and tree growth. Jetting can clear the immediate blockage, but it won't fix the underlying damage.
Replacing sections isn't cheap, you're right about that—but neither is repeated jetting every few months. Had another client who resisted replacement for years because of cost concerns... until they finally did the math and realized they'd spent twice as much on temporary fixes than they would have just biting the bullet early on.
One thing I'd recommend before you jump straight into replacement: get a camera inspection done. It'll pinpoint exactly what's going on down there—no guessing games or surprises later. Might cost a bit upfront, but at least you'll know exactly what you're dealing with, and you can plan accordingly.
Anyway, good luck with it. Basement backups are no joke—been ankle-deep in enough of them to know that firsthand.
I feel your pain... bought my first house last year and had the basement drain back up twice in the first few months. Thought it was just bad luck until a plumber ran a camera down there—turns out, old clay pipes had shifted and cracked. Jetting helped temporarily, but eventually had to bite the bullet and replace a section. Not cheap, but honestly, peace of mind is worth something too.
"Not cheap, but honestly, peace of mind is worth something too."
Couldn't agree more—sometimes the upfront cost stings, but it's often cheaper than repeated temporary fixes. Older clay pipes can be tricky... replacing them usually saves headaches (and wallets) down the road. Hang in there!
Yeah, replacing clay pipes can save headaches, but are we sure it's always worth the upfront cost? Had a similar issue at my parents' place last year—basement drain kept backing up every few months. Everyone said "replace it all," but when we actually got a camera down there, turns out it was just one stubborn root intrusion causing the blockage. Ended up just clearing the roots and patching that spot, and it's been fine since.
I mean, I get the peace-of-mind angle, but sometimes I wonder if we jump straight to full replacement too quickly. Did you already get a camera inspection done to see exactly what's happening down there? Might be worth double-checking before committing to a big job...
"sometimes I wonder if we jump straight to full replacement too quickly."
Fair point, but keep in mind clay pipes can be brittle and prone to repeated root intrusions. Clearing roots helps temporarily, but if it's a recurring issue, replacement might save money long-term. Just something to consider...
