Sewer Camera Inspection in Reading, PA
A sewer camera is a waterproof camera on a cable that we send down your line. It shows us roots, cracks, offsets, bellies, grease and blockages exactly where they sit. Before you buy a home, after a repeat clog, or before deciding on a repair, a camera shows you what is actually in your pipe.
You Can't Fix What You Can't See
A sewer line runs underground from your house to the street, and most of the time it works the way it is supposed to. When it stops, the question is always the same, what is down there? Is it a clog, a root mass, a cracked section, a pipe that has sagged and collects water? Guessing leads to the wrong fix, and the wrong fix costs money without solving anything.
A camera inspection removes the guesswork. We push a waterproof camera through the line on a cable and watch the footage in real time. We see the walls, the joints, the direction of flow and anything sitting in the pipe. When we find a problem, we note exactly where it is so the repair, if one is needed, targets the right spot.
Times a Camera Pays for Itself
- Before you buy a home, to check the sewer lateral
- After a clog that keeps coming back
- Before a repair, to find the exact problem spot
- When a line is slow but not fully stopped
- After a main line backup, to check for damage
- On an older clay or cast iron lateral you've never seen
What a Camera Shows Us
Roots threading through joints and cracks. Hairline or full cracks in the pipe wall. Offsets where two sections of pipe have separated. Bellies where the ground has settled and the pipe sags, collecting water and debris. Grease and sludge coating the walls. Scale and corrosion narrowing older cast iron. And whatever caused the original clog, sitting right where it lodged.
All of it is visible on the camera, and all of it tells us which tool to use next, or whether the line is fine and the problem is somewhere else.
How an Inspection Unfolds
- 1
We access the line
We use the cleanout or main access point to feed the camera into the sewer lateral.
- 2
We push the camera through
The camera travels the length of the line, recording video of the walls, joints and flow direction in real time.
- 3
We mark what we find
When we see roots, cracks, offsets, bellies or blockages, we note the location along the line so any fix targets the right spot.
- 4
We show you the footage
We walk you through the video, point out what we found, and recommend the right next step, clearing, jetting, root cutting, or repair.
For Homeowners
Common before a home purchase or after a repeat clog on an older lateral. The camera tells you whether the line just needs clearing or has a real structural problem.
For Property Managers
On multi-unit properties, a camera pinpoints whether a backup is a single branch or the shared main, and shows which units are tied in where.
When an Inspection Is Just the First Step
A camera does not clear a clog. It tells us what to do about it. If your line is actively backed up, we may need to clear it first so the camera can see the walls, then inspect to check for underlying damage. The inspection is the diagnosis, not the cure, and we will be straight with you about which one you need.
Often Inspected Alongside
What the Camera Can and Can't Do
Why run a camera before buying a home?
A sewer line is one of the most expensive things to replace on a property, and it is underground where a normal inspection cannot see it. A camera inspection shows the actual condition of the lateral before you commit, so you know about roots, cracks or offsets before closing.
Can the camera find the exact cause of a clog?
In most cases, yes. The camera shows roots, grease buildup, scale, cracks, offsets and bellies where the pipe sags. We can locate the problem along the line and tell you what it is.
Will the camera work if the pipe is full of water?
A camera sees through standing water only so far. If the line is backed up we often clear it first, then camera it, so we can read the pipe walls and joints clearly.
Does a camera inspection fix the problem?
No. The camera diagnoses, it does not clear. But it tells us, and you, exactly what is going on so we can pick the right fix instead of guessing.
Can you show me what the camera sees?
Yes. The camera records high-resolution video, and we show you the footage and point out exactly what we find so you can see the condition of your line for yourself.
Want to See Inside Your Line?
A camera shows you exactly what is down there. Call Drainmasters inc to schedule it.
Call (610) 914-2564Areas we serve: Reading and Berks County. Outside our main area we serve the rest of Berks County with a trip charge.