It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…To Check Your Pump

As we head into winter, it becomes increasingly important to regularly service and maintains your jetting unit, so your jetting company doesn’t have to contend with any wasted work hours. For customers who live in areas that regularly get below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the best way to beat the freeze is to have an enclosed and insulated unit. US Jetting offers a variety of customized enclosed options, ranging from trucks, trailers, and vans.

However, if your sewer jetter unit is not enclosed, you must make sure you use your anti-freezing system provided with all US Jetting unless requested otherwise. To ensure maximum protection, antifreeze your pump, hose reel, and hose every time the weather gets below freezing. The best method is to use antifreeze made of a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze. US Jetting recommends using All Makes/All Models Service Pro Antifreeze Coolant mixed 50/50 with water. This setup comes standard on all US Jetting drain cleaning machines with an antifreeze system. Alternatively, RV antifreeze can also be used without mixing water. Keep in mind that your antifreeze will slowly get diluted over time, so it is vital to check it. Most auto shops sell antifreeze testers to verify the strength of the antifreeze solution.  Some customers try to use compressed air to blow the water out of their sewer jetter, but this does not necessarily get all of the water out. The only way to be sure is to use antifreeze.

For more information on how to antifreeze your jetter, check out our antifreeze video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nywtr2OUds.

If your pump gets frozen for any reason, most importantly, don’t start your jetter. Get the unit inside and allow it to thaw completely before starting. This is imperative for any type of sewer jetter pump that is frozen.

If you have a different style of pump than the standard US Jetting pumps, such as the Radial Piston Diaphragm Pump (RPD)/Harben style pump, then it is highly suggested that you stock a set of 8 diaphragms for your jetting company. This part can be found on US Jettting’s website under part number 3J-633-IP. These parts regularly get damaged in the winter, so to keep your jetter up and running, keep a few spares on hand. The best parts to stock up on in winter for US Jetting pumps are O-ring kits, which are the first parts to be damaged if a pump is frozen. Even better, a J-911-KIT is highly recommended to have on hand year-round since it includes an o-ring kit, water filter assembly with gasket, water selector repair kit, pressure discs, and pressure disc holder. These are all simple parts that can get you up and running

In particularly cold areas, the best option is to enclose your jetting unit. US Jetting offers sewer jetter van packs with pressures and flows ranging from 3000 PSI to 4000 PSI and 8 GPM to 12 GPM. For larger units, enclosed trucks or trailers are offered. US Jetting has built many custom trucks and trailers with a water tank capacity of up to 1200 gallons with a variety of high pressure and strong flushing ability. There are certain requirements with enclosed units to ensure proper airflow to prevent overheating. In addition, weight distribution must be in accordance with the vehicle’s capacity, so before purchasing any trucks, trailers, or vans, check with your US Jetting representative for vehicle specs are necessary for your application.

If you have any questions or want to learn how we could help, contact us, and a member of our team will be happy to help.