Everyone is familiar with inspections and routine maintenance. Sometimes, they happen through physicians and benefit your personal health, and other times, they’re for your home or business, and ensure your money and safety. Generally speaking, people know their value—especially when security and well-being is concerned. Unfortunately, some people think, in an effort to save time or money, that skipping lesser-known procedures such as sewer line camera inspections is okay; but it’s not.
A business or home’s sewer line system is often out-of-sight, so many people overlook it and doesn’t take into account. When there’s a minor problem (that can accelerate into a much bigger problem), it goes unnoticed because it’s underground. Its low visibility is not a reason to ignore, but an extra reason to be hyper-vigilant. Sewer line camera inspections can help save your sewer pipes from bursting and costing you thousands of dollars in property damage.
Sewer Line Risks
The biggest threat to a sewer system is plant life. Plant roots, from shrubbery and trees, can, over time, entangle themselves around sewer piping, gnaw through weak spots caused by damage or rusting, and clog the pipe’s flow. By doing so, the roots back up incoming debris, and risk either sending it back through appliances or exploding the piping.
Any of these scenarios can result in catastrophic property damage that is not easily undone. Appropriate insurance may cover clean up and restoration, but it will likely not pay for replacement and repair of the sewer line or damaged property. Backed-up sewage can cause all sorts of unpleasant structural and visual damage. Sewage incidents also severely lower the property value and future resale value.
Businesses in particular have much to lose during a sewer accident. Not only will the damage sink revenue, but it will also likely scare away the customers. The smell of sewage (and lingering reputation) is not easily scrubbed out from incidents like these.
What is a Camera Inspection?
A sewer line camera inspection is a popular form of non-destructive testing. It can gauge the health and strength of your sewage structures without risking any damage in the process. The procedure particularly excels at inspecting pipes that are small in size.
No one plumbing company handles the process in the same way, but, on average, the process involves an inspection camera that’s attached to a cable and winch. Often, there’s a truck with additional supplies, a generator, and required monitoring equipment.
The camera is lowered through the pipeline and the monitoring process begins either at the descent or at both the descent and return trip. The process is handled slowly, so the inspectors can carefully note blockages, threatening roots, or other pipeline damages. This helps to highlight immediate threats or problems that may arise in the future.
Most of the monitoring process is handled as the camera is pulled through the pipeline, but the video footage is often also saved for later review. Building owners can expect a thorough reviewing process and ultimately, a peaceful state of mind.
Saving Money in the Long-Run
Sewer pipe camera inspections do cost up-front money, but it’s a paltry amount compared to the prospective damage that a pipe burst could lead to. It’s also important that these inspections happen annually, as weather, nature, and time need only a year to levy appreciable damage onto a sewer system. Home-sellers need to engage in these inspections; it keeps them from liability once the new owners take over.
