Plumbing cameras are a great way to prevent drain blockages
Preventing blocked drains at your Sydney property is a cheaper and less stressful option than repairing drains. A CCTV drain pipe inspection can protect your drains from blockages by identifying minor issues before they turn into a major problem. Some issues are difficult to detect until it’s too late. In particular, you may not notice a blockage in the main sewer line until raw untreated sewage starts backing up from drain openings and floor wastes around your property.
What can a CCTV drain inspection uncover?
When performing a CCTV pipe inspection, a small waterproof plumbing camera will be inserted into the drain pipes using a long cable. As the plumbing camera travels through the pipes, the video footage is transmitted to a monitor where the blocked drain plumber can detect potential problems. Your plumbing is complicated, and early detection is crucial to preventing plumbing emergencies.
Tree roots in the stormwater or sewer pipes
You may be doing everything right when it comes to protecting the drains in your home. You never flush sanitary items or wet-wipes, you don’t pour oil down the sink and you have drain grates installed to stop food scraps and other debris from entering the wastewater lines. When it comes to tree roots, however, there’s almost no way of knowing whether they have entered into the pipes without a CCTV drain pipe inspection.
Tree roots are attracted to the minerals and moisture present within plumbing pipes and tiny roots can enter through loose joints or cracks in the pipes. Old terracotta pipes are more susceptible to tree root infiltration because the joints get loose or the pipes can get cracked over time or. If tree roots get into the sewer or stormwater pipes they continue to grow inside the line causing additional damage. Tree roots are also a major cause of blocked drains as they can grow along the entire length of the pipe until it is completely clogged.
If you have large trees in the yard or you know the pipes on your property are old, a CCTV drain inspection will detect tree root intrusion or small cracks where future intrusion could occur. When caught early, minor tree root intrusion can be cheaply removed with water jetting. Jet blaster machines come with a range of nozzle attachments, including a cutting head that is specifically designed to remove tree roots. Getting the pipes cleaned with a jet blaster annually or biannually will reduce any risk of the roots causing major damage to the pipes.
Damaged pipes that can lead to blocked drains
A CCTV drain inspections will uncover any damage to the pipes including cracks, dislodged pipes or bellied / sagging pipes. This kind of damage can lead to big problems for your sewer and stormwater drains if not dealt with efficiently. For example, bellied pipes create a low point in the line. This means that gravity can longer safely transport waste away from the home. Instead, the waste builds up in the low point until the pipes become blocked. Catching issues like this early means that the damaged section of pipe can be fixed before the whole line gets blocked.
Sediment buildup in the plumbing pipes
All the things that get washed or flushed down the toilet can lead to blocked drains. While flushing a few wet-wipes or pouring a small amount of oil down the sink may seem harmless enough, over time debris can build up in the pipes blocking your Sydney drains. Water jetting can remove virtually all sediment from the pipes. It’s much cheaper to have your drains cleaned regularly than to deal with an emergency plumbing situation caused by a major clog in the sewer line.
When to book a CCTV drain inspection at your Sydney property
As mentioned above, if you live in a home with old clay pipes, scheduling a CCTV drain inspection can help to identify future problems. However, if you are already noticing the signs of a blocked drain, a CCTV drain inspection can determine the exact cause and location of the clog. Accurate diagnosis means that a plumber can provide a timely solution, addressing the issue at its cause.
Common signs of blocked drains include:
Slow draining sinks, showers and tubs
Water pooling around your feet and not draining properly in the shower
Issues with multiple plumbing fixtures in the home
Gurgling sounds when using the sink or toilet
The toilet not flushing properly or the bowl filling with water when you try to flush
Sewage backup - this should be treated as a plumbing emergency and you should call a plumber as soon as possible
Foul odours coming from drain openings
Buying a new house
Another reason you may consider booking a CCTV drain inspection is when you’re considering purchasing a new home. While it’s common practice to have a building report conducted, many people neglect a plumbing inspection. Building reports do not cover the health of your drains. Only a plumber with the correct tools can perform a CCTV drain inspection on your plumbing pipes. The last thing you want is to buy a home and to find out six months down the track that the entire sewer needs to be replaced.
Scheduling a CCTV pipe inspection in Sydney
The Sydney plumbers at JAB Plumbing Solutions specialise in drainage. From clogged drain repairs, drain excavations, drain installation and drain cleaning, JAB Plumbing Solutions have a solution for any drain issues you may have. Our team carries the very latest drain inspection cameras, suitable for inspecting plumbing pipes of al sizes. We offer free quotes so call our Sydney plumbers today on 1800 225 552.
