Sewer camera inspection
See the pipe before anyone digs. The video is yours to keep, and it will tell you whether you need us, a plumber, or nobody at all.
What the camera shows
A waterproof camera on a push cable travels through the line, usually from a clean-out, and records what it passes. You get photo and video of your own pipe, and you keep them. Illinois draws its plumbing line 5 feet past the foundation, and the footage shows which side of it the trouble is on.
- Roots coming through joints
- Cracks, breaks and collapsed sections
- Bellies, where the line sags and holds water
- Joints that have shifted out of line
- Grease and scale buildup
- The pipe itself: clay, Orangeburg, cast iron or PVC
When it’s worth doing
After a backup that keeps coming back, because cleaning the same line over and over is an expensive way to avoid looking at it. Before any trenchless quote, since lining depends on what’s down there. And when a soggy strip shows up across the lawn.
Buying a house
A general home inspection rarely looks inside the sewer lateral, and InterNACHI’s write-up of the sewer scope treats it as its own inspection. That matters in the Metro East, where the median house in Granite City dates to 1958 and in Alton to 1953. A sale is the cheapest time to learn what’s under the yard, since the line is about to become your responsibility.
What it can’t do
The camera needs some way in, and it can’t see through a line packed solid, so a cleaning sometimes comes first. Video also shows the inside of the pipe only. Whether a section can be reached without a trench is a separate question, and we’ll talk that through once the footage is in.
Related work
Sewer Camera Inspection across 77 Illinois towns, including Granite City, Collinsville, East St. Louis, Edwardsville, Alton, O'Fallon, Godfrey, Belleville.
Answers
Sewer Camera Inspection: common questions
Is a sewer camera inspection worth it?
Yes, in most cases where the cause of a backup is in doubt. It costs far less than digging in the wrong place or replacing a line that only needed cleaning. You also keep the footage, so another contractor can read the same evidence if you want a second opinion.
How long does a sewer camera inspection take?
A simple residential run is usually a short visit once there is a way into the line. A house with no clean-out, heavy buildup or a blockage may need more time, because the pipe has to be opened or cleared before the camera can travel through and show anything useful.
Should I get a sewer scope before buying a house?
Yes, particularly on a house built before about 1970, when Orangeburg and mortared clay were still going in the ground. A general inspection usually doesn’t cover the lateral. Finding a failing line before closing lets you negotiate, and after closing it becomes your repair bill.
What can a sewer camera not see?
It can’t see the outside of the pipe, the soil around it, or anything beneath standing water in a belly. Thick buildup hides cracks as well, which is why heavily coated lines get cleaned before a final look. A clear picture sometimes takes a cleaning first, then another pass.
What does a sewer camera inspection cost?
We don’t list a fixed price on this site, since access and line condition change the visit. A reachable clean-out makes it simpler, and a line that must be opened or cleaned first takes more. Ask for an estimate on the form and a representative will go through it.