Jetter Insert Cost per Job: Calculate Steel vs Ceramic Ownership Costs
Use this calculation to compare two compatible insert configurations on the same work. The result is only as reliable as the service history and costs you enter.
The calculation
Insert maintenance cost per job = (replacement parts + service labor + other attributable service costs) ÷ comparable completed jobs.
Use the same time period for both options. If you include the original insert set in parts costs, do not count it again inside the nozzle purchase price. Include nozzle and other equipment costs separately when you want a complete ownership comparison.
A hypothetical example
Suppose one configuration incurred $180 in parts and service across 60 comparable jobs. Its recorded insert-maintenance cost is $3 per job. Suppose another incurred $240 across 120 comparable jobs: $2 per job. Those figures illustrate the calculation; they are not KEG prices, measured lifespans or a forecast for either material.
Collect these numbers
- The exact nozzle and installed insert configuration.
- Current replacement-part prices and quantities.
- Service dates, labor and other attributable costs.
- Completed jobs or operating hours during the same period.
- Comparable machine settings, pipe work and completion standards.
For planning before you have service history, compare several possible intervals and label them as assumptions. Do not use warranty length as a maintenance interval. Compare current insert listings for compatible options.
Track crew time and water separately
Record time and actual water flow on comparable jobs. A claimed saving needs a measured difference and a clear basis for valuing it. Additional revenue from another booked job is separate from costs avoided on the first job. Avoid counting the same benefit twice.
Material and fit still come first
Steel or titanium-ceramic availability depends on the exact part. Insert threads, orifices, seats and functional positions must match the required configuration. Read the steel-versus-ceramic guide and the thread identification guide before ordering.
KEG's published warranty provides one year on replaceable steel inserts and five years on titanium-ceramic inserts, subject to the applicable terms and exclusions. Warranty duration is not a predicted replacement interval or a promise that normal wear is covered. Read the warranty details.
Put this guide to work on your truck
Choose the connection and job that match your equipment. Get help with the exact configuration before ordering.