Sewer Camera Inspection Information
One of the problems with underground plumbing systems is the difficulty involved in inspecting them. Although materials used for plumbing lines today are generally of high quality and able to provide many years of service, damage can occur in hard-to-see areas from tree root invasion and ground shifts. The use of a camera to inspect underground sewer lines is becoming an accepted practice by municipal workers, plumbing contractors and those involved in the buying and selling of homes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Camera Use for Home Inspections
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A sewer camera is used to provide a visual inspection of inaccessible lines. Obstructions and damages underground or within concrete slabs can be viewed with a sewer camera. According to Roto-Rooter, a video camera can identify collapsed pipes, corroded pipes, blockages from grease or other household elements, root infiltrations, pipes that are off-line due to ground settling and substandard pipe materials.
Reasons to Use Sewer Cameras for Home Inspections
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Some homeowners question the cost of a sewer camera inspection, especially during home inspections for real estate transactions. Sellers generally want to minimize the expenses involved in the sale, but buyers often want assurance that their investment will not end up costing them lots of money right away in repairs. Spending a few hundred dollars for a sewer camera inspection versus several hundred dollars on plumbing repairs justifies the cost of such an inspection.
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Sewer Camera Elements
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The in-line video camera used for the inspection of hidden residential plumbing lines is based on fiber-optic technology. One such product, the Gen-Eye, is a small high-resolution video camera inserted into the tip of a flexible fiber-optic cable, which is connected to a monitor that allows the operator to see the progress of the sewer camera in real time. This process is assisted by high-powered lights that illuminate the inside of the lines to help identify any obstructions or problems in the line, such as breaks or unnatural bends from ground shifting.
Municipal Camera Uses
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According to the online magazine "Municipal Water and Sewer," the larger sewer cameras used by cities to inspect sewer mains under streets are often mounted on motorized transports to help municipal workers inspect large sewer systems. A later innovation, developed and marketed by Michigan-based Aries Industries, featured a smaller camera system that can be used to inspect isolated areas of a sewer main to determine the need for a more thorough inspection using a motorized camera. This smaller camera can be mounted on a telescoping pole and dropped into a manhole or other line access points.
Other Applications
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The technology behind a sewer camera can be adapted for other uses as well. The miniature design of the camera and the accessibility of fiber-optic cabling can be used to inspect other inaccessible areas such as small attics, high roofs and suspended ceilings that cannot be reached by ladders or scaffolding.
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References
- Photo Credit Sewer Lid Symmetry image by Tinu from Fotolia.com
