What Can a Sewer Camera Inspection Find?
Know What’s Underground, Before You Buy.
A sewer camera inspection is one of the most important inspections a homeowner, home buyer, real estate agent, or investor can order. The sewer line is buried underground, hidden from view, and expensive to repair when problems are missed.
At The Sewer Inspection Company, we use sewer camera inspections to evaluate the inside of the underground sewer line and identify defects before they become major problems.
What Is a Sewer Camera Inspection?
A sewer camera inspection uses a specialized plumbing camera attached to a flexible cable. The camera is inserted through an accessible cleanout and pushed through the sewer line toward the city tap or septic connection.
The camera allows the inspector to see the inside of the pipe in real time and document the condition of the sewer line.
What Can a Sewer Camera Inspection Find?
1. Sewer Bellies
A sewer belly is a low section of pipe where water collects instead of flowing properly. Bellies can cause recurring backups, slow drains, and waste buildup inside the line.
2. Root Intrusion
Tree roots can enter through cracks, loose joints, or separated pipe sections. Once roots enter the sewer line, they can grow inside the pipe and restrict flow.
3. Cracked Pipe
A sewer camera can reveal cracks in cast iron, clay, concrete, or PVC sewer lines. Cracks can allow roots, soil, and water to enter the line.
4. Broken or Collapsed Pipe
A broken or collapsed sewer pipe can stop drainage completely. This is one of the most serious findings during a sewer inspection and may require excavation or replacement.
5. Pipe Separations
Pipe separations occur when two sections of sewer pipe pull apart. This can happen from soil movement, poor installation, age, or shifting ground conditions.
6. Offset Joints
An offset joint means one section of pipe no longer lines up with the next section. Offsets can catch debris, create blockages, and reduce flow.
7. Standing Water
Standing water inside the sewer line may indicate improper slope, a belly, blockage, or downstream restriction. A properly functioning sewer line should allow wastewater to drain continuously.
8. Grease Buildup
Grease can collect inside the pipe and restrict flow over time. This is especially common in kitchen drain lines and older sewer systems.
9. Debris and Blockages
A sewer camera can identify blockages caused by wipes, paper, sediment, construction debris, foreign objects, or heavy buildup inside the pipe.
10. Cast Iron Deterioration
Older cast iron sewer lines can rust, scale, flake, and deteriorate from the inside. A camera inspection can show whether the pipe is still serviceable or nearing failure.
11. Clay Pipe Damage
Clay sewer lines are common in older neighborhoods. A camera inspection can reveal cracks, root entry points, separated joints, and broken clay pipe sections.
12. Poor Installation
A camera inspection can reveal improper slope, incorrect fittings, misaligned pipe, sagging sections, or poor workmanship from previous repairs.
13. Previous Sewer Repairs
The camera may identify areas where previous repairs were made. This can help determine whether the repair was properly installed and whether the rest of the line remains in good condition.
Why Sewer Camera Inspections Matter Before Buying a Home
During a real estate transaction, most buyers order a general home inspection. However, a standard home inspection usually does not include a full camera inspection of the underground sewer line.
A home may have working toilets and drains during the inspection but still have serious sewer defects underground. A sewer camera inspection gives buyers a clearer picture before closing.
What a Sewer Camera Cannot Always Tell You
A sewer camera is extremely useful, but it has limits. A camera inspection may not always determine the exact exterior condition of the pipe, the full depth of the line, or the cost of repair without additional locating and evaluation.
However, the camera is one of the best tools available for identifying visible defects inside the sewer line.
Common Signs You Need a Sewer Camera Inspection
- Slow drains
- Recurring backups
- Sewer odors
- Gurgling toilets
- Older home plumbing
- Large trees near the sewer line
- Buying a home
- Flipping or investing in property
- Standing water in cleanouts
- Past drain cleaning problems
Should Every Home Buyer Get a Sewer Camera Inspection?
Yes. If you are buying a home, especially in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, a sewer inspection is one of the smartest inspections you can order.
Underground sewer repairs can be expensive, disruptive, and difficult to negotiate after closing. Finding problems during the option period gives the buyer more control.
Schedule a Sewer Camera Inspection in DFW
The Sewer Inspection Company provides sewer camera inspections for home buyers, real estate agents, investors, and homeowners throughout Dallas–Fort Worth.
Our inspections can include video documentation, professional findings, and a clear explanation of what was found inside the sewer line.
Call Now: 972-333-5448
Email: stshipler@gmail.com
Website: TheSewerInspectionCompany.com
Know What’s Underground, Before You Buy.