Sometimes technology really does make our lives easier. At one time if you had a blocked drain it might have meant tearing up the floor or digging up the garden, then opening the pipes to locate the problem. Now thanks to some very clever technology, that big mess is a thing of the past!
So, what is this miracle of the modern world that saves us so much time, toil and trouble? It is the science of CCTV pipe Inspection! This non-invasive process has been a tremendous boon to plumbers and their customers, who are able to save a lot of money. The plumber is also happy because they no longer have to do a bunch of hard labour, creating a win-win situation for everyone, including the blocked drain!Â
So, what is it, and how does it work? A special camera is sent down inside the pipe that transmits a view of exactly what’s happening in the drain back up to a monitor where the real-time footage is carefully watched by the plumber, who never even has to get his hands dirty! The video shows the precise location and nature of any blockages as well as other potential plumbing problems like corrosion, breaks, and leaks.Â
There are a variety of camera types employed to engage in this exploration, depending on the size and length of the pipe. The cameras are very small and are attached to a lengthy, flexible cable designed to push its way down into the depths of underground sewers, household pipes, and storm drains. The camera is highly manoeuvrable so it can twist around curves and bend around corners.Â
There are many benefits that come with using drain inspection cameras and accompanying CCTV video monitoring. The technology offers greatly improved efficiency and accuracy in the diagnosis of problems, and in most cases, completely remov es the necessity of having to do any excavating, a costly, destructive, and sometimes even dangerous process. Best of all it saves the customer a great deal of time and money. Ostensibly, it also lowers the amount of the fees the plumber can charge, but when asked, their feeling was that they were glad not to have to do any digging!
Even if your water system doesn’t have an immediate issue, it is still recommended that you schedule an annual pipe inspection to make sure there are no incipient problems, and if there are, they can be dealt with before they escalate into something major. This is especially true if your garden has large trees or shrubberies, their roots grow longer and larger every year and can easily damage and rupture pipes. Before laying new or replacing plumbing be aware of the government’s plumbing codes.
The whole process is really quite fascinating to observe, one feels like you are participating in some kind of adventure documentary as the camera slowly snakes its way into the Stygian depths. It is a bit disappointing though, when the only lost treasure found is mud, crud, and roots.
