Camera inspection and drain cleaning

A gurgling drain, a slow-draining toilet, a sewer smell in the basement: before proposing a fix, a camera goes down the drain to show the inside of the pipe, metre by metre, with a distance reading to wherever the problem is.

Cleaning is done with a mechanical auger for a simple clog, or a hydro-jet to strip grease and buildup along the whole length of the drain. A follow-up pass with the camera confirms the pipe is clear end to end.

If the inspection shows a crack, a sag or a misaligned clay joint, the video record becomes the basis for discussing options: trenchless lining, a localized repair, or replacing a section.

A single fixture that clogs once, after a kid flushes something down the toilet, is usually fixed with a hand auger right at that fixture — no camera needed. The signal that should lead to an inspection is different: several fixtures backing up at the same time, a problem that comes right back after a cleaning, or a sewer smell that lingers even when nothing is running. At that point the blockage is almost never in the house's own plumbing — it's in the lateral drain that every fixture shares.

The camera moves down the pipe with a distance counter that pins the problem down to within a foot of the entry point. The image also shows things an auger can't tell you: a transition from old clay pipe to a redone PVC section, a bellied stretch that holds standing water between rains, or offset joints letting soil in along with the roots.

Whether periodic inspection or cleaning is useful depends on the drain, nearby trees, and blockage history. Ask a plumber whether preventive maintenance makes sense for this property.

The scope of drain cleaning varies with line length, the type of blockage, and access. Ask what the estimate includes, including any follow-up check.

A dated video can document what an inspection showed. Keep the report and recording with your home records.

A duplex or triplex can have a lateral serving more than one unit. If a plumber identifies a shared line, coordinate access with the affected residents.

The report handed over after the inspection includes the full recording, screenshots of the points of interest with their distance marked, and a plain recommendation: nothing to do, regular cleaning is enough, or a repair to plan for. That document, not a verbal diagnosis, is what serves as the reference if the situation comes back up two or three years later.