What the camera does

A sewer camera is a small waterproof camera with a light, mounted on a long push cable. A plumber feeds it into the line through a cleanout, a toilet opening or a roof vent and watches the picture on a monitor as it travels toward the street. Most systems record video and show the distance from the entry point, and many have a locator so the plumber can mark the camera's position and depth from above ground.

For a Buena Park home with an original cast-iron or clay lateral, the camera is often the only way to know whether a backup was a one-time clog or the first sign of root intrusion, a cracked joint or a sag in the pipe.

Good times to ask for one

  • Right after a main line backup has been cleared.
  • When the same line has clogged more than once.
  • Before agreeing to sewer line replacement, lining or excavation.
  • Before buying an older home, as part of your own due diligence.
  • When you notice a sewage smell, soggy yard areas or unexplained pests near the sewer path.
  • After nearby construction or tree work over the line.

What you might see in the footage

Root intrusion
Fine or thick roots coming through a joint or crack, often looking like hair or a mat.
Offset joint
Two pipe sections that no longer line up, leaving a lip where debris catches.
Belly or sag
A low section where water stays standing in the pipe instead of flowing.
Scale or tuberculation
Rough buildup inside cast-iron pipe that narrows it over time.
Crack or fracture
A visible split in the pipe wall, sometimes with soil showing through.
Transition
Where one pipe material joins another, such as cast iron to clay or to newer plastic pipe.

How an inspection usually goes

  1. Access.The plumber chooses an entry point. A cleanout is easiest; without one, a toilet may need to be pulled.
  2. Clearing if needed.If the line is blocked, it is usually cleared first so the camera can travel the full length.
  3. The run.The camera is pushed slowly toward the street, pausing at joints and problem spots.
  4. Locating.For problem spots, a locator above ground marks where and roughly how deep the issue is.
  5. Review.You should be shown the footage and told what each problem is and where it sits along the line.

What to ask after the inspection

  1. How far from the entry point is each problem, and is it on my side of the property line?
  2. What pipe material did you see, and where does it change?
  3. Is this a maintenance issue or a structural one?
  4. What repair would you suggest, and what are the alternatives?
  5. Can I have the footage?

Common questions

Does a camera inspection damage the pipe?
No. The camera is pushed through the existing line and does not cut anything. If the line has to be cleared first, ask what method will be used.
Can a camera see a leak in a supply line?
No. Sewer cameras are for drain and sewer lines. Pressurized supply line leaks are found with leak detection equipment instead.
What affects the cost of an inspection?
Access to the line, whether it must be cleared first, the length of the lateral, locating work and whether a recording or written report is included. Ask for the price in writing.

General information for Buena Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.