Have you been experiencing slow drainage, clogs, or leaks in your sewer lines? Do you have a strong smell of sewage infiltrating your home, or see sewage backing up on your lawn but aren’t sure where or what the problem is? You may just need to call for a sewer line camera inspection.
This method of sewer inspection is not only for when you have a problem, though. It can be a preventative measure, too. A professional sewer line inspection should be done on an annual basis to find potential and small plumbing issues before they become big, expensive problems.
6 Most Important Reasons for a Video Sewer Inspection
- Blockages – This could be caused by grease, debris, and items meant for the trash being sent down the garbage disposal and building up in your pipes until they are completely blocked and backing up your system.
- Damaged Pipes – Damage can come in many forms and for a number of reasons, especially in St. Louis where the weather fluctuates, the ground hardens and softens, and it floods. All of these can cause shifts in the earth surrounding your sewer lines, shifting, breaking, and cracking them until you have a leak — or worse — sewage backing up on your lawn or in your basement.
- Age – Depending on the age of your house and, therefore likely, your sewer lines, you may be due for an upgrade. The materials used decades ago have been updated and improved to bring us more durability, longevity, and security in the knowledge that they will endure the elements and wear and tear of daily use for years to come.
- Tree Infiltration – Do you have a lot with gorgeous greenery and tall, sturdy trees in your yard? As pretty as that is, the downside is that those root systems grow just as much and far wider than trees you see above ground, and they need water to do so. Those roots seek water sources wherever they can find them, and sometimes that means your sewer lines. Roots take advantage of old, porous materials and cracks by infiltrating them, growing inside the lines, and causing you headaches and plumbing issues.
- Sagging – Sagging sewer lines could be double trouble as they can involve both age and blockages. As the pipes sag, waste builds up and causes them to bend and belly and cause blockages.
- New Home – Are you in the process of purchasing a new home or perhaps you just signed the papers? A plumbing inspection is the best way to tell you exactly what you are dealing with when it comes to the pipes and the sewer system of your new place, and it could save you a lot of headaches down the road!
How A Sewer Inspection Camera Works
A trained technician will come to your home with a fiber optic video sewer inspection camera and use a flexible cable to wind through your home’s pipes to find the cause of your plumbing problems. This technological advancement has changed the game in plumbing and taken the guessing out of it as well. There is no longer a need to take an educated guess or dig up your yard in the hopes of finding the exact location of the problem only to find the first three spots were not it!
Doing a sewer camera inspection allows plumbers to precisely locate and repair any line blockages or cracks without digging up your lawn. Once the camera finds the culprit, the radio transmitter attached to the plumbing inspection camera sends a signal to the technician to find its exact location. Then they can begin strategizing what may be needed to fix it, like trenchless pipe bursting or pipe lining technology.
Adding a Sewer Camera Inspection to Your Annual Home Maintenance
Don’t wait until you have a problem. A licensed St Louis plumber will locate the source of your plumbing problems or save you from some big ones down the line by incorporating a sewer camera inspection on your property.