What a sewer camera actually shows.
A waterproof camera goes into your sewer line through the cleanout, and you watch the inside of your pipe live on a screen. Cracks, roots, bellies, offsets — here's what each finding means in plain English, what the footage can't tell you, and when it saves you thousands.
What you'll need
Nothing. We bring the camera:
- Access to a cleanout — we'll find it; no cleanout, no problem
- 30–45 minutes — most inspections are done in under an hour
- Watch with us — we narrate the footage live, in plain English
- The recording — yours to keep, second opinions welcome
How an inspection works.
Three steps, no digging, and you see everything we see.
The camera goes in
We feed a waterproof camera on a flexible rod into your sewer line through the cleanout — or through a pulled toilet if there's no cleanout. No digging, no mess. The camera travels the full lateral to the city main while you watch the inside of your pipe live on the monitor.
We read the pipe with you
As the camera travels, we call out everything: cracks, root intrusion, bellies holding water, offset joints, heavy scale. Roots look like hairy webs pushing through joints. A belly shows as standing water the camera has to swim through. Offsets are joints that have shifted apart. We explain each one in plain English as it appears — no jargon, no scare tactics.
We locate it above ground
The camera head sends a signal, and a locator wand traces it from the surface — so we can mark the exact spot and depth of any problem on your driveway or yard. No guessing, no exploratory digging. You get the full recorded footage to keep, and we encourage second opinions on big quotes.
When the camera saves you thousands.
And when someone uses scary footage to sell you something you don't need.
Buying a home? Camera first
A standard home inspection doesn't look inside the sewer. We've seen buyers discover a collapsed line a month after closing — a five-figure surprise. An inspection before you buy turns "I hope the sewer's fine" into knowing. If the line's bad, you negotiate the price or walk away.
The camera sees inside the pipe only
It can't see soil conditions, what's outside the pipe, or the future. Anyone diagnosing your whole yard from pipe footage is guessing. The footage answers one question perfectly — what's the condition of the pipe itself — and that's exactly the question that matters.
Footage should inform, not pressure
A legit tech shows you the footage, explains what you're seeing, hands you the recording, and lets you think. If someone flashes scary video, won't give you the recording, and pressures you to sign today — get a second opinion. We'll happily review anyone's footage with you.
When to call for a camera.
Three situations where the footage pays for itself:
Recurring mainline clogs
A clog that keeps coming back means something structural — roots, a belly, a break. Stop paying for repeat snaking and find out what's actually in there. We camera before every hydro jetting job, and after too, so you see the proof it worked.
Buying an older home
Clay and cast iron lines from decades ago are living on borrowed time. Know the sewer's condition before you own it — it's the cheapest insurance in real estate.
Wet spots or sewage smells in the yard
Soggy patches, suspiciously lush grass, or odor outside can mean a cracked line leaking underground. The camera confirms it — and the locator marks exactly where, so any repair is surgical, not exploratory.
Sewer camera FAQ
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
How much does a sewer camera inspection cost?
Call us for our flat-rate price — estimates are free and the price is agreed before any work begins, never hourly. Next to a sewer replacement, the inspection is pocket change, and it regularly prevents buying a problem you can't see.
Can the camera see the whole line to the street?
Yes. From your cleanout, the camera travels the full lateral to the city main — usually 50 to 100+ feet — and we record all of it. The footage is yours to keep.
Do you have to dig up my yard for a camera inspection?
No digging at all. The camera goes in through your cleanout, or a pulled toilet if there's no cleanout. And honestly, a house with no cleanout is a good candidate to have one installed — it makes every future sewer job cheaper.
What do roots in the sewer line look like on camera?
Like hairy white webs hanging from the top of the pipe or pushing up through joints at the bottom. Small root intrusion in an otherwise sound pipe is one of the best cases for trenchless lining after hydro jetting clears it.
See inside your sewer.
24/7 emergency service · Free estimates · Upfront flat-rate pricing