It often requires more than simply running a plumbing snake through your drain to repair problems with the plumbing. Your home has pipes running through the walls that connect to sewer lines under your house. These lines then connect to the city’s sewage system. To see what’s going on inside all of those pipes, you’ll need a plumbing camera inspection. While this type of sewer line inspection helps find the source of clogs and other issues, it’s also a wonderful way to keep an eye on the condition of your pipes. It allows you to find and fix small issues before they become huge problems. That’s why having routine camera inspections is so important.
What Is a Plumbing Camera?
Knowing exactly what a plumbing camera is will help you understand how often you should have a plumbing camera inspection. The tools used don’t look like a typical camera; a plumbing camera looks a lot like a drain snake, but it has a lens that is attached to a long cable. This flexible cable is able to send images of the interior of your pipes back to a monitor. This monitor is similar to a TV screen, and it gives a clear and up-close look at what’s going on.
We’re able to use the video recording made from these images to assess the overall condition of your sewage system. This device saves time and money when it comes to finding and diagnosing problems. Best of all, frequent plumbing camera inspections will help you avoid unexpected problems.
What to Expect During a Plumbing Camera Inspection
Your sewer lines are approximately 5 to 6 feet under your house. The first thing we do when we arrive for a plumbing camera inspection is to find an access point to these buried pipes. This is usually a cleanout cap. If you don’t have a cleanout, we’ll find an alternative.
If you have an obstruction within your pipes, our camera won’t be able to get through. We’ll have to remove the clog before going forward with the inspection. Once we know we have a clear path, we’ll insert the camera into your pipes from the access point. We push the camera’s flexible rod all the way through to the main sewer line. The result is a video that shows us everything within your entire sewer system.
What Can a Plumbing Camera Inspection Find?
Your plumbing camera inspection will show us any important issues that need to be taken care of. This includes obstructions. Large clogs cause water to back up into your sinks and tubs. It can also keep the toilet from flushing. Many things can cause a large clog. Tree roots are a common culprit; they need the nutrients that water provides, and they’ll push their way into your pipes to get them. Grease, soap scum, and similar debris can build up on the pipe walls and create a blockage. Even small items like toys have been known to find their way into pipes when flushed.
We can find broken sewer lines with a plumbing camera inspection. The camera allows us to pinpoint the exact location of the break. In this same manner, we can learn a lot about the layout of your pipes. The images show us whether those pipes are made of PVC or cast iron, where the cleanout caps are, and where the main line meets the city sewer line. All of this information is valuable when diagnosing problems and making repairs. You’ll also want this information if you plan to do any renovations to the property. It’ll keep you from accidentally cutting into a pipe.
Do You Need a Plumbing Camera Inspection?
There are several obvious reasons why you would need a plumbing camera inspection. Clogs are one of the most common, but these devices are helpful with collapsed pipes too. While we’ve already discussed how a plumbing camera inspection is advantageous for a home connected to the city sewage system, we haven’t discussed homes in rural areas. In the country, a home’s wastewater goes into a septic system. Our cameras can be used to inspect the lines that lead to the septic tank as well as help locate its exact location.
Even newly constructed homes can benefit from these routine camera inspections. The ground will settle after the house is complete; that shift in the ground can cause the pipe to misalign. There’s also the possibility that a line has been sheared during the construction. These and many more situations make it practical to have a camera inspection for peace of mind.
When Is the Best Time for a Plumbing Camera Inspection?
Most homeowners have a plumbing camera inspection once a year as part of their preventative maintenance plan. This is important if the home is surrounded by large trees or if the sewer line is older. Older homes can have corroded pipes. This is a health hazard for pregnant women and children.
Many people have an inspection done when selling or buying a home. If any problems are found, they can be repaired before any final agreements are made. As a buyer, you’ll know you are investing in a quality property that is well taken care of. When selling a home, having clear documentation of the inspection results can be an incentive for potential buyers to make an offer.
How Often Should You Have a Plumbing Camera Inspection?
Older homes that have not had their pipes updated should have an annual inspection. Older pipes are more likely to have problems with roots. These and other issues tend to develop slowly over time. By inspecting them once a year, we have an opportunity to stay on top of potential problems.
A home’s routine maintenance plan includes an inspection every one to two years. Regardless of the age of the pipes, this allows us to find and repair small issues like sediment accumulating along the walls of the pipes. With regular inspections, you’ll be avoiding major problems and costly repairs later on.
Your Plumbing Camera Inspection Experts
Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical provides commercial and residential plumbing services to Phoenix and the surrounding areas. We handle everything from basic repairs to complex installations, and we’re ready to help you with your routine sewer line inspection. We use the latest diagnostic technologies to diagnose and repair your sewer and water lines. In addition to inspection work, we offer a full range of water heaters and water softeners for installation in your home. We can even help you upgrade the fixtures in your bathroom and kitchen for a fresh new look. When problems with your plumbing do occur, we’ll arrive on time, give you an expert diagnosis, and perform repairs efficiently. We’re a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, an Angi Super Service Award winner, and BBB A+ rated. Call Wyman Plumbing & Mechanical today for all of your routine camera inspection and plumbing repair needs.
