When an inspection makes sense
- The main has stopped up twice or more within twelve months.
- An older house is on your shortlist and the sewer is an unknown.
- Roots have been cut before and you want to see how bad they are.
- A floor drain smells or gurgles with no clear cause.
- Renovation plans add a bathroom or move drains.
What the camera shows
The picture tells us the pipe material, the joints, and any cracks, offsets, roots, sags or crushed sections. A transmitter in the head lets us stand on the grass or drive, find the fault from above, and write down how deep it lies. That matters a great deal if digging is ever needed, because it narrows the excavation to a small area.
How the inspection runs
- We open the main clean-out or a suitable access point.
- If the line is heavily blocked, it is cleared first so the camera can pass.
- The camera travels toward the city connection while we watch and record.
- Defects are located from above and marked.
- You get a written entry of what showed on screen and what deserves action.
What moves the bill
Access is the main factor. A clean-out with a removable cap is quick. Lines that need clearing first take longer. Very long laterals on larger lots, or homes with more than one branch, add time to the run.
Worth asking
Ask what material the lateral is made of, where the worst defect sits, and whether the problem is on private property or near the city's side. Ask whether the issue can be managed with regular clearing or needs a repair.
What callers want to know
Is a camera inspection worth it when buying a house?
For homes built before the 1980s, especially on streets with large old trees, few checks before closing tell you as much for the money.
Can the camera hurt my sewer?
Not at all. It is a small head steered by hand through the existing pipe.