Got a clogged drain in your home? Perhaps you aren’t even sure, but you just know that something’s not quite right with your toilet, shower, or other fixtures. It happens to just about everyone, but quite often you don’t need a plumber at all if you’re able to pull out a clump of hair or plunge your toilet and get that ‘nasty business’ out of the way.
For every blockage you’re able to undo yourself (and hopefully without too much hassle), there’s often another blockage someone else has to deal with and they’ve got no idea where to start. A CCTV drain inspection is one of the best ways to get to the source of blockages and other plumbing issues so that they can be dealt with promptly.
So, what is a CCTV drain inspection and how does it work?
CCTV Drain Inspections for Residential Homes & Commercial Buildings
As you might have guessed, a CCTV drain inspection is a thorough inspection of the drains in your home or business with the aid of tiny waterproof CCTV cameras that relay high-resolution video feedback to the user.
They’re used to monitor pipe interiors and are completely non-invasive testing methods which means they won’t damage your pipework and they can greatly reduce the need to hack away at pipes willy-nilly (which you shouldn’t do, by the way) to solve an issue.
Some of the things that a CCTV drain inspection can resolve include:
- Clogged drains (shower, toilet, sinks, floor drains, etc.);
- Damage from tree roots;
- Cracked/collapsed pipes, elbow joints, P-traps, etc.
- Corroded fixture connection points & pipework;
- Incorrectly joined pipework and poor installation work;
- Overall deterioration of domestic and commercial plumbing systems.
How Does a CCTV Drain Inspection Work?
The entire CCTV drain inspection process is, as mentioned, non-invasive, so it won’t cause any unwanted damage to your existing plumbing but it can pinpoint exact areas of concern so that a plumber can deal with them.
The process usually is part of an overall plumber’s servicing routine. Perhaps a client complained about a shower drain overflowing or something of that nature, so the plumber may ask the client if they can do a CCTV inspection so that they can spot the exact source of the blockage, for example.
The way it typically works is that the plumber will insert the head of a line with an attached CCTV camera into a drain or access point. The camera captures real-time high-resolution footage which can be output to a tablet or phone. As the camera pushes further and further down the drain, the plumber looks for signs of corrosion, blockages, or damage to the pipes. As part of the overall analysis, the plumber will then determine exactly where the issue(s) is found and target all of their efforts in that section of pipework only.
When performed as part of repairs and emergency plumbing, for example, the plumber will go to the affected area(s), shut off the mains supply if necessary, and begin work to restore the pipework to an acceptable condition.
When performed alone, the CCTV inspection can be immensely helpful in non-emergencies for pointing out areas that the homeowner should be aware of. The plumber can prepare an analysis and report so that the homeowner has a record in the event of any future work on the property.
Do I Need a CCTV Drain Inspection for My Property?
For common blockages such as clogged toilets that you can’t plunge yourself, a plumber can usually eliminate the blockage with a toilet snake and just by intuition unclog it with little effort. In many cases, however, blockages beyond the fixture somewhere in the home can be less intuitive and as such CCTV drain inspections are immensely helpful.
FastnLocal Plumbing
Unclog your drains and resolve plumbing issues with the friendly team at FastnLocal Plumbing.