Mini Jetter Lets Plumbing Pros Develop Profitable Service Niche

Offering fixed-price septic maintenance contracts means productive and powerful equipment is key to profitability

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Mini Jetter Lets Plumbing Pros Develop Profitable Service Niche

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Rusty and Randy Tigges, co-owners of R&R Septic Services in Carroll, Iowa, built a profitable business niche — fast.

R&R uses the JM-1000 Mini-Jet, a compact, powerful water jet from General Pipe Cleaners, to service and clean modular wastewater treatment installations.

Decentralized modular septic systems like AdvanTex are becoming more common in rural areas not served by wastewater treatment plants — including housing subdivisions, apartments, golf courses, RV parks, campgrounds and more.

Rusty Tigges says that the Mini-Jet’s hose and nozzle are the perfect size to clean pipes and orifices of a modular septic system filter pod. And since R&R offers fixed-price septic maintenance contracts, work productivity remains key to profitability.

“Some septic maintenance guys use a bottle brush at the end of fish tape — too slow and slipshod for us,” he says. “Our JM-1000 Mini-Jet does a faster, more reliable job.” 

More jobs in less time

The compact, lightweight, electric-powered JM-1000 Mini-Jet — the smallest of General’s popular gas and electric powered Jet-Set water jetters — is excellent for clearing sludge, sediment, grease and ice from small, 1 1/2- to 3-inch lines, up to 50 feet long.

With 1,500 psi of raw cleaning power, General’s powerful little jetter hits soft stoppages with wall-to-wall high-pressure water and flushes them away.

“General’s nozzle head design really helps negotiate the twists and turns of septic system pipes,” Randy says. “And it’s far more thorough than hand-cleaning with a bottle brush.”

JM-1000 Mini-Jet performance also offers R&R the speed and reliability to service multiple septic systems in a shorter period of time.

“It’s definitely improved our productivity and profitability,” Rusty says. “When doing several systems a day, just one technician can knock a half-hour off each job with the JM-1000. And that really helps.

“I love it,” he says, adding that he uses it for a range of drain cleaning jobs as well. In fact, it’s optimized for blocked kitchen, bathroom and laundry drains.

Portability and pulse technology aid productivity

General offers an option of tough stainless steel braid hose to help the hose slide smoothly down 1 1/2- to 3-inch drainlines and more easily navigates tight bends. The 3/16-inch Teflon core also reduces flow resistance, further improving small-line cleaning power.

Pulse technology helps slide the hose around tight bends and farther down lines. It breaks the initial tension between the hose surface and pipe walls, increasing cleaning power. And it separates General’s Jet-Set from ordinary pressure washers.

But the JM-1000 Mini-Jet can also double as a pressure washer.

“We use the pressure washer to clean the septic system’s biotube filter and to clean things when we put it back together,” Rusty adds. “It’s really handy to switch from jetter to pressure washer and back again.”

Rusty Tigges likes the Mini-Jet’s compact size, too. 

As large as a typical toolbox, the JM-1000 Mini-Jet’s rugged, diamond-plate metal case containing pump and motor assemblies measures just 24 by 10 1/2 inches by 11 inches high. At just 23 pounds, it’s easy to carry — making it perfect for one-person operation. 

And that includes servicing modular septic system installations. “With the right knack, one technician can go seamlessly from pipe to pipe on an AdvanTex filter pod,” he says. “It works pretty slick.” 

Equipment arsenal built from trust

Performance like that also lets R&R use the JM-1000 Mini-Jet on a range of inside drain cleaning jobs.

General’s tough, compact tool respects customer property, too. Rubber feet on the carrying case help protect delicate counter tops in kitchens and baths. It also sports key safety features like a sensor to shut off the motor if water stops flowing, and a three-wire Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.

General tools remain important parts of R&R’s equipment mix. That’s why the company also has a brawny, gas-powered JM-2512 Typhoon trailer jet — the largest in General’s Jet-Set range. The Typhoon blasts grease, sediment, ice and other blockages from large lines, even in remote locations. 

R&R also has a General Gen-Eye video inspection system and a variety of General cable drain cleaners.

“Trust in our tools is very important for daily operations,” Rusty Tigges says. “And General has a great reputation for making highest quality tools. That’s why we buy General.” 



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