Technology is a valuable asset when it comes to the plumbing trade. Enter the wondrous capabilities and advantages of plumbing camera inspections.

Plumbing cameras, able to fit inside a pipe or line, take the guesswork out of diagnosing clogs and damage to plumbing in your home or business. Not only can the damage be located with a hi-tech plumbing camera, but the exact nature of the problem is easily diagnosed this way.

How Does it Work?

  • A highly flexible snake or rod is run through a plumbing pipe, conduit, or sewer line.
  • It has a miniature high-resolution camera on the end that picks up all visual images of the pipe interior.
  • It is commonly manually fed by a technician who studies the images and determines the depth or line-to-surface distance via a radio transmitter.
  • The direction of the snake-rod can be manipulated by slight turns and adjustments.
  • The inspection video can be recorded for future viewing, and the best cameras routinely pick up drain depth, the type of pipe material, and the flow direction.

What Do They Look For?

A plumbing camera inspection looks for and finds problems inside pipes or lines that cannot be seen with the eye. Most inspections are prompted by drain blockage, backup, and overflow or flooding. A camera can find damaged sections of pipe that have been cracked or rusted to the point of deterioration. It can also find misaligned joints or sections of pipe that have separated.

Clogs and debris blockages are common, where sludge has built up and trapped additional debris particles. Tree roots often penetrate through pipe seams, cracks, or rust holes, causing a break or clog. A camera will pick up any type of bend or deformation where an impact or heavy object has applied excess pressure over the area of the outside pipes and lines.

When to Inspect

  • Prior to purchasing a used home, a camera inspection of the property’s plumbing system is a sound idea. This way you know will not be stuck with a repair cost after the purchase.
  • Additionally, any indication that you are using more water than normal is a good incentive to inspect the pipes and lines in your home.
  • You should opt for a full camera inspection if the toilets and sink drains back up and stop responding to normal unclogging efforts.

Plumbing repair costs can be exorbitant and the time to catch even the hint of a problem is immediately. Camera inspections are adept at finding problems, even the smallest ones, and can help you save money by making repairs sooner.

Try a Camera Inspection Today

For a plumber around Dallas, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has the experienced, certified technicians, and state-of-the-art video cameras to inspect all pipes and lines in your plumbing system. Avoid needless property damage and major repairs by giving us a call. You’ll be glad you did!