Are your sinks draining slower than they used to? Have you started noticing an unpleasant sewer odor near a basement floor drain? Is a toilet overflowing? These are all reasons to call an emergency plumber in Puget Sound to perform a sewer camera inspection.
How does a sewer camera inspection work?
Since most sewer lines are installed under the concrete foundation slab, inserting a camera into the pipe is the best way to tell what’s going on with your plumbing. A sewer camera is a specially designed, high-definition, waterproof camera attached to the end of a flexible rod. The plumber inserts it into a drain pipe and views the video feed on a monitor, which is crystal clear thanks to the bright, built-in LED light. By providing a complete visual of what’s going on inside the pipes, sewer camera inspections take the guesswork out of hidden plumbing problems.
What can a sewer camera inspection do?
A sewer camera is a useful tool for diagnosing a wide range of plumbing problems. Plus, it has a radio transmitter, allowing it to send out a signal. Using a special signal receiver, the plumber can pinpoint the exact location of the camera and therefore know exactly where the plumbing problems are located.
Here’s what a sewer camera inspection is capable of finding:
- Clogged drains: When something stops your sewer line from draining properly, it can cause slow drains or sewage backups. A camera inspection can reveal the source and location of the blockage, including broken pipes and tree root infiltration.
- Damaged pipes: Along with crumbling pipes that cause blockages, other issues such as cracks, punctures, corrosion, and misaligned plumbing joints can lead to sewer leaks. An inspection using a camera can reveal such hidden damage.
- Sewer system connections: The combination of a video feed and radio signal from a sewer camera tells a plumber everything about how the plumbing is connected and where the water flows, helping to ensure a proper diagnosis.
- Pipe material: If you don’t know what your pipes are made of, a sewer camera inspection can tell you.
What are the limitations of a sewer camera inspection?
Despite the usefulness of camera inspections, it’s important to realize that a sewer camera alone can’t always identify leaks. It may be the first step in locating potential problem areas, but the plumber should follow up with a leak isolation test to know for sure.
Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating provides a complimentary sewer camera inspection with every service call. We use this technology to identify what’s wrong with your plumbing so we can recommend a cost-effective treatment or repair. If necessary, we can perform other tests to make sure what appears on the video feed is true and accurate.
To learn more about our plumbing services, or to schedule an appointment for your Seattle home, please contact Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating today at (206) 350-0079.