Residential sewer systems that are well-designed and correctly installed should provide years of dependable service. But age, damage, or misuse can cause problems to occur, including leaks, clogs, or a general decline in performance.
When homeowners begin to experience problems with their home's sewers and drains, they may try to find a DIY solution through the use of plungers, plumbing snakes, or chemical drain cleaning products. While these options may provide temporary relief, they seldom provide the long-term solution that most households want and need.
Instead, homeowners should first consider using a drain camera inspection process, and here are some convincing reasons for doing so.
Finding the cause
Plunging, snaking, and drain cleaners can succeed in pushing clogs through the pipes or helping them dissolve enough to temporarily restore proper drain function. However, these DIY options do nothing to expose the actual cause of the problem or permanently resolve it.
Often, the better option is to look for the reason behind developing sewer system problems through the use of inspections that use video technology. The inspections are performed using flexible, waterproof cameras that are controlled remotely by skilled technicians.
During the inspection, the cameras feed video to a monitor where it can be viewed, shared, or saved for later use. The camera can be rotated and moved to view specific areas of concern on the interior surfaces of the drain system. Global positioning system (GPS) data and other location features can be used to pinpoint damage so that specific areas can be targeted for repairs or replacement.
Minimizing scope and repair costs
The ability to easily locate specific areas of damage within an underground drain system through the use of video technology also helps homeowners minimize the scope of the repair and its cost. In the past, when the exact location of the problem was more difficult to pinpoint, homeowners often resorted to replacing their entire drain system to ensure that the problem would be resolved.
Protecting the lawn
When a new drain system is installed or extensive repairs are needed for an existing one, a major excavation process is often required. The use of heavy equipment coupled with the removal of existing grass, sod, and topsoil can create ugly surface scars that can take time and intensive lawn care to heal.
When damaged areas of the drain system are identified using specially designed cameras, a much smaller repair area is needed. In some instances, drain cameras can be used along with other remote tools and techniques to help eliminate much or all of the need for invasive repairs using excavation.
To learn more about drain pipe camera inspections, contact a sewer system service provider in your area.
