The biggest problem when maintaining your main sewer line is that you cannot see what is happening inside the pipes. In most homes, if not all, most of the sewer line is buried underground, with the only visible part of the system being the cleanout.
That makes it hard to figure out the problems in the sewer line and how far those issues have gone, notes Fall River Property Management. The almost unavoidable outcome of this limitation is that homeowners overlook their sewer line when doing routine maintenance for the rest of their plumbing.
That is why sewer line problems can go on for a long time before homeowners become aware of them. The issues are only discovered after they become advanced and have probably done a lot of damage to the plumbing and other features of the home.
Is there a way to detect and solve sewer line problems before they become an emergency and a major cost? The answer is yes; some technologies let you know the condition of your sewer line so you can take timely action to solve the problems.
Sewer camera inspection: what it is and how it works
A sewer camera inspection is a non-invasive method for assessing the condition of a sewer line. It is described as non-invasive because it doesn’t involve digging. In other words, it allows you to avoid the biggest obstacle when determining the condition of your sewer line.
To do a sewer camera inspection, a plumber inserts a video line into the sewer line through the cleanout. The line carries a special camera with a transmitting device at its end. This line is fed into the sewer line and captures videos of the inside pipes as they inch through.
The camera signal is sent to an above-ground locator device and the captured image is displayed on a screen that is actively monitored by the plumber. The plumber can maneuver the camera in any direction to closely inspect the pipes or any objects inside the sewer line.
What will the camera show?
The camera lets you see the entire passageway of the line. You can also do a close examination of the pipe walls. If there are obstructions in the pipe, you will get a close-up view. All these allow for accurate diagnosis of the conditions of the underground sewer line.
How much does this service cost?
This depends on the length of the sewer line being inspected and the quality of the camera. Lower-quality cameras produce grainy images that don’t offer sufficient details for in-depth analysis. The average cost of a sewer camera inspection is $300-$600 per 200 feet of sewer line.
Benefits of a sewer camera inspection
Eliminates guesswork
Without a camera sewer inspection to help diagnose the problems in your sewer line, you are left with two options. Your plumber can use an educated guess of what the issues in the sewer line are, or you may have to dig up the line to examine it physically.
It is non-invasive
To excavate an underground sewer line, you need to dig up your lawn, or beneath your driveway and concrete. You have to factor the cost of fixing your damaged landscaping into your sewer line repair costs. A sewer camera inspection eliminates this cost.
It is cost-efficient
A sewer camera inspection doesn’t just save you money because it is cheaper than excavating your yard. Without a camera inspection, sewer line problems cost you more because they are not detected early and have time to cause even more damage.
Sewer camera inspections save time
Sewer line problem-diagnosis methods that rely on trial and error take time. To excavate a sewer line and fix the resulting damage, you are looking at at least one week when your home’s plumbing will be out of commission. However, with a sewer camera inspection, the work is completed within a few hours.
It permits targeted repairs
Because a sewer line camera comes with geo-location capabilities, it is possible to narrow down the location of problems in the sewer line with pinpoint accuracy. It reduces the cost of fixing the problem, even if a damaged section of the sewer line requires replacement.
Useful for preventive maintenance
Because it is non-invasive and does not take a lot of time, you can use a sewer camera inspection for preventive maintenance of your sewer line. Having your sewer line professionally inspected once every year is a great way to detect problems in the early stages and solve them quickly.
When should you order a sewer camera inspection?
You should do a sewer camera inspection before performing any repairs on your sewer line and if your sewer line has not been inspected in the last year.