Root Cutting Jetter Nozzles

Yes! It is a well-established fact that the right nozzle with adequate jetter GPM/PSI feeding it will indeed cut out root masses - jetter operators all over the world do it every day!  A good root-cutting nozzle that’s supplied with adequate GPM/PSI power concentrates water velocity into focused rotating water-jet streams that slices and tear out root masses, rather than just poking a hole through it. For total stoppages, some operators use a cable and/or a Reaper-type “coring” nozzle to attack the clog and re-establish flow, then switch to a Warthog-type scouring nozzle to clear the line completely. With the right nozzle(s), PSI creates cutting-action, while GPM provides impact to the blockage and then flushes the debris away. Learn more about GPM vs. PSI here.

Root-cutting nozzles concentrate high-pressure water into sharp, rotating water-jets that shear through root tissue instead of deflecting off it. The best nozzle designs use a turbine or rotating mechanism to deliver that water-jet force in a consistent, spiraling pattern at a moderate rotation speed as the nozzle travels down the pipe. Forward-facing jets cut into blockages while rear-facing water-jets attack buildup on the pipe-wall and flush it all away. The combination of tight nozzle-orifice geometry and controlled-speed waterjet-rotation with adequate jetter GPM+PSI power is what separates real root cutter nozzles from standard “static” penetrating nozzles.

For root cutting in 3"–8" pipe 3,000–4,000 PSI provides enough water-jet velocity for penetrating-action BUT it is the jetter’s flow capability in GPM that gives the water-jets the strength and impact to cut into and tear out root infiltration, and flush it all away. Here’s a good GPM-amount rule of thumb: for time-productive root-cutting (and “rooter-class jetting” in general) you want 2 GPM per inch of pipe-diameter to create waterjets that are strong enough to cover the entire pipe-diameter. For example: 4” pipe (x2) = 8gpm, or 6” pipe (x2) = 12gpm, and so on. You can use lower-GPM jetters to cut out roots (at least 5-GPM is recommended) but at those low flow-rates you’ll have to use a “single-jet” offset cutter-nozzle (such as a Root Ranger single-barrel nozzle) to perform a slower, more surgical and labor-intensive root extraction, using a camera to aim and re-aim the water-jet, working in aim/jet/view/reset - aim/jet/view/reset spurts. Higher GPM-rates from the jetter can feed multiple rotating water-jets simultaneously to productively cover more of the blockage or infiltration all at once, allowing for faster, more continuous & less labor-intensive jetting work. More on matching your machine to the job.

When fed by adequate jetter GPM/PSI, modern root-cutting nozzles handle most service-level root intrusion in 3"–8" pipes. Nozzles are faster to deploy, work well on moderate-to-heavy root masses, and don't require consumable chains or blades, as the water-jets themselves are the “blades”.  Nowadays, Chain scrapers and chain flails step in when it is important to scrape away any leftover root “danglers” or taproot-stubs that the water-jets miss, such as when you're prepping for a re-lining job, or when mineral-deposits or other hardened buildup remains on the pipe-wall. So, when it comes to root-cutting, think of modern root-cutting nozzles as your first line of attack. Chain scrapers are a finishing tool when needed. Browse root nozzles and chain scrapers here.

It will work on most modern pipe materials, but pipe condition matters more than material. Older cast iron, concrete or clay with existing voids or failed joints, Orangeburg, thin-wall PVC, drain tiles and corrugated can be damaged by aggressive root-cutting at close range. Always camera-inspect before putting a root cutter in a potentially compromised line. Keeping the nozzle moving forward or back is always a wise technique in any line. In sound pipes, including cast iron, PVC, and concrete, a properly matched nozzle at 3,000–4,000 PSI is safe and effective.

Yes, but 4-GPM is about the minimum GPM to run even a smaller Root Ranger single-barrel root cutting nozzle, and at least 3,000 PSI is recommended. A 5-GPM jetter might not sound like a big step up but it is +25% more flow to “feed” the cutting nozzle versus a 4-GPM jetter. However, cutting roots with low-GPM jetters will require you to be more “surgical”, requiring many stops to check the camera-view to analyze your progress and to “re-aim” the nozzle. This is why rooter pros use higher GPM jetters that can feed multiple nozzle water-jets at once to productively clear obstructions. On the bright side, a nozzle designed for lower jetter GPM capability, like the Root Ranger Single, can handle root intrusion more deliberately in smaller pipes where a high-GPM machine would flood the line. The key is matching your actual “low-GPM” jetter-flow rate to the cutter-nozzle's correct orifice-sizing; running a nozzle sized for 8-GPM on a 5-GPM jetter simply means you won’t have enough flow to build adequate pressure, thus significantly weakening the nozzle’s potential cutting power.