Drain pipe camera

Using a Drain Pipe Camera for Sewer Inspections. As a plumbing professional with over 6 years of experience, I highly recommend using a drain pipe camera for inspecting sewer and drain lines. These pipe inspection cameras provide invaluable visibility inside drain pipes to identify any blockages, damage, or defects.

Key Features of Drain Pipe Cameras

HD Color Camera - Provides a sharp, detailed view of pipe conditions.
Pan, Tilt and Zoom - Allows closely inspecting debris, cracks and problem areas.
Digital Video Recording - Saves footage for documentation and analysis.
Large Display Monitor - Enables clearly seeing pipe issues.
Push Cable - Makes inserting the camera easy in long straight pipe runs.

How Does a Drain Pipe Camera Work

A drain camera consists of:

Rugged waterproof camera head - Contains a color camera with LED lights to illuminate the pipe interior.
Flexible fiber optic cable - Allows feeding the camera through pipes. Cables come in various lengths.
Video display monitor - Shows the live video feed from the camera as it moves through the pipe.

The camera head is inserted into a drain line access point like a cleanout. The pipe inspection is then recorded as the camera snakes through the pipe.

The video uses a drainage chamber to show you the inside of the drainage system penetrated by the roots.

Based on my professional experience, here are my picks for the best Drain Pipe Camera:

Top sewer drain inspection camera Models

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.

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

Benefits of Drain Pipe Camera Inspections

Conducting drain pipe inspections with a sewer camera offers many advantages:

Find Blockages - Identify debris, grease, roots and other obstructions.
Detect Damage - Reveals cracks, fractures, holes and other defects.
Locate Intrusions - Discovers infiltration from root penetration or failing joints.
Guide Repairs - Pinpoints specific issues so repairs can be targeted.
Check Cleaning Results - Confirms drain cleaning fully cleared out debris.
Reduce Costs - Averts expensive excavations by finding small problems early.
Document Pipe Condition - Provides video proof of drainage system integrity.

Types of Drain Lines to Inspect

Drain pipe cameras can inspect all types of drain lines:

Main sewer lines
Kitchen drain lines
Bathroom drain lines
Basement and foundation drain lines
Commercial building drain lines

I recommend a drain pipe camera inspection:

During pre-purchase home inspections.
After sewer overflows or drain backups.
Before finishing a basement or remodeling.
To verify repairs were done properly.
As periodic preventative maintenance.

The small investment in a drain pipe camera inspection can prevent very costly emergency drain repairs down the road. Being proactive saves homeowners money in the long run.