At Mahon Plumbing, we sometimes use a video camera line to locate sewer line issues.
Plumbers have existed as long as plumbing itself has been around, making it one of the oldest professions in the entire modern world. Despite that, plumbing has come a very long way, especially within the last few years as technological advancements have helped make it simpler than ever to detect any problems in hard-to-see spots such as your sewer line. At Mahon Plumbing, we sometimes use a video camera line to locate sewer line issues, but only in certain situations. If you’ve ever wondered about which cases we might need to use these unique cameras, the following explains how they operate and what they can find. Here’s a breakdown of how a video camera line inspection works.
How Video Camera Line Inspections Work
The device itself has a box with a screen attached to a thin, almost snakelike hose that can be placed into an open drain. Inside the hose are smaller lights and a fiber optic camera similar to those found in smartphones. As the camera extends down the pipe, pictures of what the camera sees show up on the screen in real-time. As the professional plumber threads the wire through the pipes, it observes any possible leaks or obstructions.
What These Cameras Show Us
Most importantly, a video camera line makes it possible for us to detect issues that might be in a sewer line, which is buried underground and usually inaccessible for a visual inspection right from the outside. Essentially, these cameras can show most cracks, corrosion, and root damage, giving us an easier look at what needs to be fixed and how we can best approach fixing it. For example, the video camera could determine that root damage is the cause of the problem, so we would know how to use the proper kinds of tools to fix the issue. If there’s a clog, we understand how to drain it out.
What the Cameras Can’t Do
While the video camera line can catch many issues, there are some things it can’t do. With some older cast iron piping, the image can be tough to interpret sometimes, at which point we might have to use other diagnostic methods to find out what is going on. At the end of the day, these video cameras are beneficial in finding out what’s wrong with a sewer line. They help our professionals do their job in a way that allows us to complete jobs very efficiently.
Call Mahon Plumbing Today
If you still have more questions regarding your plumbing, we here at Mahon Plumbing are here to help. We have been serving the wider Baltimore area since 1994, so we have 25 years of experience to back up our fantastic service! Call us at our Baltimore location at 410-766-8566 or our Pasadena location at 410-636-7944. Be sure to keep up with us on social media by following us on Facebook or Twitter.