When you call in a plumber for drainage problems, they have a number of methods of determining what’s going on with your drain and where the problem might be. One of the most effective methods is by using CCTV cameras to inspect your drains to locate the issue and then implement a solution. Let’s take a closer look at CCTV drain inspections, what’s involved and how CCTV can really help to resolve your drainage problems.
Drainage problems are one of the most common plumbing issues both households and businesses can experience. Whether it’s a slow drain, a drain that has developed a leak or a drainage system that’s completely blocked, it’s a common problem that can be annoying at the very least or potentially destructive in a worst-case scenario.
What are CCTV Drain Inspections?
It involves using a special CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera designed for the plumbing industry. The camera is attached to a narrow tube or hose that is then fed into a pipe or drain. Images from the camera are displayed on a special screen or monitor, allowing the plumber to see exactly what’s going on inside the pipe. Just like a surgeon might use a camera to inspect a knee or some other part of the anatomy, plumbers use a small camera to inspect your home or business’s drainage system.
Let’s now take a look at some typical situations where the CCTV drain inspection cameras can really be of assistance.
Locating a Blockage In a Drain Or What’s Causing the Block
It’s not always apparent exactly where a blockage has occurred in a drain or what the cause of the blockage is. Sending down the CCTV camera into the drain will give the plumber an accurate view of what’s going on inside. Once the block has been located and it’s determined what caused the blockage, a plumber can formulate a solution to resolve the issue.
Sometimes it’s important to understand why a drain has been blocked up before action can be taken to remedy the problem.
Checking the Drain Once a Blockage Has Been Cleared
Whether it’s a blockage in the toilet system, the drain in your shower or any other drain in the home, once the blockage has been cleared, a plumber will often send down the camera for a drain inspection to ascertain that the drain is fully cleared and that the pipes are in good health. This is important, as it can serve to prevent a future slow drain or blockage problem.
Upon drain inspection, if there is an issue with the pipes or there is still some debris stuck inside the drain, more drain clearing will be required to ensure optimum results.
Searching for Leaks In a Pipe
Another way that using CCTV cameras in plumbing can be really handy is locating a leak in a pipe. This can be particularly useful for pipes or drains that run behind walls, under the house, or out in the yard. While it might be obvious that a pipe or drain has sprung a leak, it’s not always obvious where the exact location of that leak is.
When a plumber inspects the pipe or drains with the camera, locating a hard-to-spot leak becomes much easier and more accurate. Once the location of the leak has been identified, then your plumber can go about repairing that leak.
Detecting Tree Root Infestation
Most Australian yards will have trees. Trees all have root systems, some bigger and more prevalent than others, depending on the type of tree and the size of the tree. The problem with tree roots is they can regularly cause damage to outside pipes, drainage and sewer systems.
Keep in mind that trees grow roots to solidify the tree’s structure and search for water and nutrients to feed the tree. Pipes contain moisture, and sewer systems also contain nutrients. Tree roots can therefore search out underground pipes and break into them to gain access to moisture and nutrients.
CCTV drain inspection cameras can highlight whether any pipes in your yard have suffered tree root damage. If they have, those pipes will need repairing or replacing, and you may need to remove the offending tree.
General Inspection of the Health of Your Pipes and Drainage System
Even if your home or business is not suffering from any current drainage issues, it can be a good idea to book a plumber in for periodic pipe and drain inspection using a CCTV camera. These inspections will not only give you peace of mind, but your plumber may also spot a potential issue that could result in a major problem down the track. Therefore, the issue can be rectified before any major problems occur or any damage is done.
What You Can Do To Help Avoid Drainage Problems
There are some things you can do to help prevent drainage problems. For starters, never flush anything down the toilet, especially items such as paper towels, feminine hygiene products or wet wipes. These simply don’t dissolve readily as toilet paper does.
Don’t flush food waste down the kitchen sink. Scrape as much food off the plates as you can before depositing them in the sink, and add a filter to your sink’s drain or plug hole to catch debris. You should also avoid pouring cooking oil down your kitchen sink as it becomes sticky and can cause a build-up of debris in the pipe.
In bathrooms, if you spot clumps of hair or chunks of soap clogging up the drain hole, don’t try and flush it down. Remove it and put it in the bin.
It’s really just exercising common sense to do your part to avoid drainage issues.
In Conclusion
CCTV cameras are one of the most effective tools for drainage problems. Give the team at Refined Plumbing a call if you’re on the Sunshine Coast and need your drains inspected. We’ll resolve your drainage issues in quickly time with our CCTV Drain Inspection.
Original article by Refined Plumbing Sunshine Coast
