Sewer Line Inspections
Sewer line inspection used to be a dreadful business involving a shovel and hapless prodding into smelly wet spots on the lawn. Thanks to modern technology, high-end cameras have made sewer inspections fast, safe, economical, and practical. The specialized camera is sent down for a sewer line inspection which can be conducted all the way down to the city sewer line in a matter of minutes.
Why should a homeowner want a sewer line inspection?
A number of things can be determined by a sewer line inspection. In older homes, sometimes the materials used in sewer lines were substandard and the pipe has subsequently been crushed. There may be one or more leaking joints, rodent damage, or a simple clog. A camera can even find lost valuables such as keys or wedding rings.
The location of sewer problems can be accurately pinpointed for purposes of repair by measuring the distance the camera has gone down the line when a problem is spotted, This means shovel time (and the customer’s bill!) are kept to a bare minimum, if excavation is even needed.
What if a clog or leak is found?
Once the problem is determined, it’s much easier to repair these, and after the cleanout or repair, a plumber can inspect the repair or clean out to make sure it was successful and that there is nothing else further down the line requiring attention, as is sometimes the case.
In the event of a repair, such as a reline, the camera can be sent down to make sure that the repair isn’t leaking. Trenchless relining has become more common and will continue to be used in more applications as technology allows.
For the homeowner, a sewer line inspection brings peace of mind. They can actually see exactly the extent of the problem with their own eyes. Anyone who has paid for a plumber in past years to ‘guess’ the nature and location of a problem can really understand the value of this. For the plumber, it’s a relief because the camera can save countless hours and guesswork.
What if the homeowner isn’t even sure there is a problem?
The bottom line for the customer is that if a plumbing problem is suspected, the home is in an area where there is a lot of flooding or rodent activity, a sewer inspection is a must. While we do plumbing work all over the Metro Phoenix area, there is no way for us to be able to see if a homeowner’s water bill is higher than normal or if there is a new wet spot somewhere in the yard or other indications there might be a leak. And, while no one wants their plumber to find a leak, it’s better when problems can be detected early while repairs are small.
