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The Pros And Cons Of Plumbing And Sewer Line Video Inspections: Insights From A Seasoned Plumber | Katy, TX
Inspections of water utility pipes and sewer lines are now simplified thanks to advanced technologies such as CCTV methods. In the past, it was hard for plumbing professionals to detect an issue in the plumbing and drainage lines. They relied on guesswork that led to more misses. The process was tiring and time-consuming, especially if they experienced more failures than hits in their inspections.
The video inspection technique comes in handy in finding problems in the pipelines, especially in hard-to-access parts of the pipes, including foundations, walls, and underground to help plumbing professionals determine their next step.
A plumber can use visible signs such as swampy yards and grounds, nasty sewer odors, low water pressure, too much foliage, and lack of water in homes before using state-of-the-art video cameras to detect the exact issue, such as clogs.
Water and sewer video camera inspections are now popular as most plumbing companies use them and other tools, such as locating equipment when providing plumbing repair. Contractors attach the tiny flexible video camera to a drain snake, cable, or sewer scope and move it inside the pipes. The process has the following pros and cons.
Advantages of Sewer Water Line Video Inspections
Provides a Clear View of the Entire Pipeline
When inspecting the water or sewer lines to identify a problem, video cameras help a plumber see the inside of the pipes by inserting a video camera attached to a cable, plumbing snake, or scope inside the pipes.
The cable can extend towards branch lines and other parts of the pipelines providing accurate assessments. The plumbing experts possess a monitor, phone, or tablet showing the insides of the pipes on screen as the camera penetrates inside for a perfect view of their condition.
Experts can use the results to diagnose the status of the pipelines to recommend and conduct repairs, maintenance, replacements, or not. The technicians in Katy, TX can share the results on the screen to explain to the client the reason behind the failing pipelines and other plumbing issues.
Detects Clogs
People experiencing issues such as lack of water, low water pressure, wastewater backups, slow drains, standing water, and overflowing sinks can hire a plumber to detect their root cause. The video camera for inspecting the sewer and water pipes is a big plus because it can identify a clog faster and the reason behind it.
The video inspections will expose the cause of the obstructions in the system, which can be due to invading tree roots, accumulated dirt, foreign substances such as toys flushed by kids, food scraps, soap scum, wipes, diapers, or pads. In water pipelines, the clog can result from root infiltration, mineral buildup, or frozen water in winter.
No matter the cause of the clog, the results visible on the screens will help the plumber choose the best water, drain, or sewer pipe cleaning methods. The professional might go for flushing, jetting, chemicals, or swabbing, depending on the cause of the blockage. In most cases, excavation is necessary underground if the cause of the problem is tree roots and the pipes need replacement.
Helps Determine the Exact Location of the Problem
Apart from identifying clogs and other issues inside the pipes, the video camera inspecting the sewer and water lines can also help a plumber know the affected areas. As the cable or snake with the video camera moves in the pipelines, the plumbing professionals can tell if the problem is in branch lines or calculate the distance of the problem using the cable or drain snake.
Knowing the exact location of the pipelines that require repairs simplifies the process, as the contractor focuses only on the identified place. Based on the magnitude of the issue and the available repair options, the technician in Katy, TX can choose to replace the affected parts of the pipes or clean them.
Helps Detect Leaks
Video camera inspections of plumbing pipes can also identify breaks, cracks, and corroded pipelines leaking water or wastewater. Before a plumber decides to use the cable and the water and sewer video inspection method during repairs to check for leaks, there should be indicators, such as low water pressure and permeating nasty sewer smells in your home.
While some leaks are visible and easy to identify, others can take a while before you notice them, causing extensive water damage. Inspecting the hard-to-find pipes is easy with video cameras.
The Process Is Fast
Compared to the conventional hole inspections and smoke testing techniques that plumbing professionals use to find issues, water video camera inspections are faster.
Instead of taking days or long hours to check all the plumbing pipes in your home, a plumber conducting video inspections takes a shorter time to identify a wide range of actual and potential issues.
Limitations of Video Inspections
Requires Draining the Pipes
Before a plumber starts the video inspections of pipelines, it is mandatory to ensure all the water and sewer lines are free from water or wastewater, respectively.
The process is necessary if the camera in use is not waterproof. Even if the video camera is resistant to water, it is better to inspect empty pipes for better visual results and images.
Reveal Issues Inside the Pipes Only
Even though the video inspection of plumbing pipes is the best to identify numerous problems, it can also detect mishaps inside the lines and not outside. If a crack in the pipes happens from the outer parts, the camera will not identify them.
This limitation makes it almost impossible to detect root infiltration problems before they become a problem causing severe plumbing woes like backups, overflows, slow drains, and standing water.
Call Us Today to Schedule Video Camera Inspections for Peace of Mind!
Video inspections are vital for plumbing companies during maintenance and repairs of pipes because they help identify looming or existing issues for proper plumbing repair services.
Calling bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of West Houston to hire a plumber to inspect your plumbing pipes helps keep them functional longer. If you are in Katy, TX, experiencing multiple issues that need drain cleaning, emergency plumbing, gas leak detection, and water leak detection, contact us immediately.
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