Camera Inspection in Myrtle Beach, SC
What is a camera inspection?
We push a waterproof video camera on a flexible rod down your drain or sewer line and watch the feed live. It shows the inside of the pipe, including blockages, roots, cracks, joints that have pulled apart, low spots holding water, and sections that have caved in.
The camera head also puts out a signal. A locator on the surface picks it up, which lets us mark the exact spot and roughly how deep it is. This method keeps a repair from turning into a trench across the whole yard.
Is a Camera Inspection Worth Doing?
The same drain keeps backing up
A standard home inspection does not include the sewer line. On any house past about thirty years old, especially one with big trees in the yard, a sewer inspection before closing is one of the cheapest ways to avoid a five-figure surprise. If the line is bad, you find out while you still have room to negotiate.
Something valuable went down the drainA camera can tell you whether a ring is sitting in the trap or has already moved down the line, which decides whether it is worth trying to get it back.
Someone has quoted you a repairBefore anybody digs up your yard, you ought to be able to see why. The footage is the reason behind the recommendation.
You have a wet spot or a sinkhole in the yardIf the ground stays soggy, has a low spot that keeps sinking, or a patch of grass greener than everything around it usually traces back to a leaking sewer line. The camera will confirm it and mark the spot.
What Happens During the Visit
- We get into the line through the cleanout. However, if there isn’t one, we’ll go through either a pulled toilet or a roof vent.
- We run the camera the whole way. All the way out to the tie in, so nothing downstream gets missed.
- You watch it with us. We will tell you what you are looking at in plain language instead of handing you a report full of terms.
- We mark the spot. If there is a defect, we locate it from the surface and mark the position and the depth.
- We lay out your options. Sometimes the answer is to clean the drain and keep an eye on it. Other times it is to fix one section, or the answer may also be to replace the line. You will get the honest version.
What a Camera Cannot Do
The camera needs somewhere to go. Small drains like a bathroom sink or a tub line are often too narrow for a sewer camera. A line that is completely blocked must be cleared before a camera can get through. Also, standing water in a low spot limits what the lens can see until it is pumped down.
None of that is unusual. In most cases we clear the line first and look at it second, which also gives you a much better picture of the pipe.
Contact Us / Request a Quote
FAQs
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How long does a camera inspection take?
Half an hour to an hour for most inspections. Longer if the line has to be cleared first.
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Do I get a copy of the video?
Ask your technician while he is there. We can usually get you footage or still images, which helps if you are negotiating on a house or getting a second quote.
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Does a camera inspection find leaks?
It finds leaks and what causes them, including cracks, holes, joints pulled apart, and root intrusion. A pressurized water line leak under a slab is a different service with different equipment.
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Should I get a sewer inspection before buying a house?
On an older home, yes. In most places the sewer lateral belongs to the homeowner, so a failed line becomes your bill the day you close. An inspection costs a small fraction of a replacement.
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How much does a camera inspection cost?
We quote it before we start. Give us a call, and we will get you on the schedule.
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Stop guessing about your sewer line
A camera inspection trades a guess for a picture. Give us a call and we will get you on the schedule.
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