How to Diagnose Sewer Line Problems with a Camera Inspection?
It seemed like such a primitive act before that whenever a sewer line problem comes up, technicians had to utilize heavy digging machinery and tools to get to the pipe before anything can be fixed. It’s hard to imagine mounds of dirt and land by the roadside, in lawns, yards and accumulating in one’s garden as technicians try to repair your sewer pipes, but that was the norm decades ago.
Doesn’t it make sense to your sewer pipes inspected first before any digging is involved? This is the premise of today’s sewer camera inspection. A qualified technician uses a high end fiber optic camera to collect information as to what could be causing your sewer pipes to back up or lose water pressure. The whole sewer line repair and replacement landscape is changed for the better, thanks to this new camera inspection technology.
The Role of Video and Camera Equipment
The camera that your technician will use is understandably waterproof, yet it can project crystal clear images for an accurate diagnosis of your sewer line problem. They are thin enough to get inside most pipes without any trouble. The technician will expertly maneuver the line to get to the source. The features in the camera allow it to zoom, rotate and pan at any given angle to portray a vivid representation of what’s really going on inside your sewer lines.
Video inspections can reveal blockages in the pipe no matter the cause. Clogs in the sewer line could be anything- it could be a clump of hair at the pipe’s turn, household waste that has stuck and built up, or grease that could be fixed by hydro jetting technology. It could also paint a serious diagnosis, such as root intrusion or crystallization of soap. But the good thing is that trenchless technology is now available and it can get the job done without having to dig up your yard.
How A Camera Inspection Is Performed
You’re probably wondering what to expect in a sewer line inspection by video or camera if it’s your first time doing it. The technician can walk you through the process and make you understand the important points. There are 3 things that you’ll immediately know with a sewer line camera inspection:
- What the sewer line problem is
- Where the sewer problem is located
- How severe the sewer line problem is
Camera and video inspections should be quick and shouldn’t last for a long time, even in large-scale settings. There’s no guesswork involved, as everything the technicians sees is fact. It is how the technician comes up with the best trenchless technology solution, after all.
First, the technician inserts in a flexible rod into common sewer line openings such as your sink or bathtub drain. The fiber optic camera leads the flexible rod, snaking its way into medium-sized and large pipes until the source of the problem is located. The images are sent to a compatible computer or mobile device, along with important information such as location and the extent of the damage. Then the appropriate trenchless technology is recommended. The work is carried out, and a final inspection is done to ensure the procedure is a success.
