The Best Affordable Sewer Cameras for Home Inspection

Sewer camera inspections can help identify potential problems in your home's plumbing system before they become expensive repairs. While professional sewer camera inspections are recommended for the most thorough diagnosis, affordable DIY sewer cameras can also be a useful tool for the handy homeowner. Here are the top picks for the best cheap sewer cameras for inspecting your home's pipes.

Why Inspect Your Sewer Lines

Before diving into the best budget sewer cameras, let's look at why sewer line inspections are so important for homeowners:

Find clogs & blockages - Sewer cameras can identify obstructions and buildup that may eventually lead to clogged drains or sewer backups. Catching issues early prevents major headaches down the road.
Assess pipe condition - A sewer camera inspection looks for cracks, leaks, root intrusion and other damage that could allow waste to contaminate soil or water. Proactive repairs prevent contamination and expensive repairs.
Pinpoint issues - Unlike just snaking a drain, sewer cameras show you exactly what's happening inside the pipes. This allows plumbers to make precision repairs instead of broad guesses.

Key Considerations for Purchase

When shopping for an inexpensive sewer and drain camera, keep the following factors in mind:

Cable length - Longer cables can inspect further down pipes. Optimal length depends on your inspection goals.
Camera diameter - Match the camera diameter to the pipes you want to inspect. Measure pipe interiors before purchasing.
Image quality - Higher resolution gives a clearer picture but isn't essential for basic inspections.
Durability - Cameras may need to traverse some tough terrain inside pipes. A durable, waterproof build is important.

Top Budget-Friendly Sewer Cameras

Best budget and mid-budget sewer cameras for commercial use

The MiniFlex Plumbing Camera - the best and only device you will ever need for inspecting small diameter pipes (1.25"-4" pipes). It is a versatile inspection system specifically designed for very tight bends and traps.
VIPER drain camera - the Portable Drain Camera is an economical kit designed for high quality inspection of sewers, building ducts/pipelines, manholes, chimneys and power plants
Ridgid SeeSnake MicroDrain Camera - Excellent compact camera for 2" to 4" drain lines. Quality Ridgid construction.
Ridgid SeeSnake Color Camera System - Industry leader with superior cable, camera and monitor. Very versatile for small to large drain lines.
Hathorn PheonX Pro Sewer Camera - Records directly to SD card for simple documentation. High-end camera produces amazing pipe images.
Vivax-Metrotech vCam-6 - Quality pipe inspection camera with color LCD monitor. Great value camera for municipal sewer departments.

Top Budget-Friendly Pipe Cameras

Top Budget-Friendly Sewer Cameras for home

Ridgid SeeSnake nanoReel

Price: $250 - 350

The Ridgid SeeSnake nanoReel is one of the top sewer cameras in its price range. Key features:

90 foot tether rated for 3" pipes
640 x 480 video resolution
Four bright LED lights
Rechargeable lithium ion battery
Durable cable with fiberglass core

This lightweight yet rugged inspection camera excels at giving homeowners a detailed look inside their sewer and drain lines. It's easy to operate after reading the manual and connects to a smartphone for live video feed and digital recording. For the price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better sewer camera.

Teslong Endoscope Camera

Price: $70 - 100

Looking for a super budget-friendly option? The Teslong endoscope camera connects to your smartphone to capture photos and video inside pipes. Key features:

Semi-rigid 16 foot cable
640 x 480 video resolution
4 adjustable LED lights
Compatible with iOS and Android
Supports photo and video capture

While the shorter cable limits inspection reach, this mini endoscope camera is extremely affordable for occasional use. It works best for inspecting sink drains, tub drains, and other small diameter pipes. The image quality is impressive for the low price.

DEPSTECH Waterproof Endoscope

Price: $60 - 80

Similar to the Teslong camera, this waterproof endoscope from DEPSTECH also connects to your smartphone for drain inspections. Key features:

16 foot tether with 0.31 inch diameter
640 x 480 video resolution
Adjustable LED brightness
IP67 waterproof rating
Supports image and video transfer to phone

This lightweight camera is completely submersible for inspecting pipe of all kinds. The free app even includes features like video recording, image gallery, and media sharing. Overall an incredible value for the cost.

"A drain pipe camera allows identifying and addressing minor drain issues before they become major expensive problems."

DIY Sewer Camera Inspections

An affordable sewer camera allows homeowners to conduct pipe inspections themselves rather than hiring a professional. However, consider these risks before going the DIY route:

Inexperience - It takes training to accurately interpret sewer camera footage and identify issues.
Safety - Sewer gases, contaminated water, and claustrophobic conditions make sewer work potentially hazardous.
Limited reach - DIY cameras may not be able to inspect the full length of sewer lines.
While DIY sewer cameras can save money, consider paying a professional for an inspection at least once to protect your safety and accurately diagnose your entire system.

Checking a sewer camera is very expensive and buying a sewer camera is even more expensive. This video shows how to make a homemade sewer camera to check for tree roots in a sewer pipe.

The sewer camera is made from a wireless endoscope that is waterproof, making it ideal for a sewer camera. The sewer inspection camera connects wirelessly to your cell phone, so your cell phone is the viewing device for the sewer camera. The sewer camera attaches to the sewer auger or snake with electrical tape to make it easy to route the sewer camera in the sewer line.

Call in the Pros for a Full Inspection

For the most thorough sewer line inspection, you can't beat bringing in professional plumbers with industrial grade sewer cameras. They have the high-powered equipment, expertise, and experience to fully diagnose any issues in your home's plumbing system. The cost is well worth it to get the job done right and prevent expensive repairs down the road.

The Ridgid SeeSnake nanoReel, Teslong endoscope, and DEPSTECH waterproof cameras stand out as the top budget-friendly options for DIY sewer line and drain inspections. While affordable sewer cameras have limitations, they can still be valuable for periodic pipe checks between professional inspections. But for the most comprehensive diagnosis of your home's plumbing, call in a pro.