What the camera finds
- Roots growing in through pipe joints.
- A belly, a low spot where the pipe has sagged and holds standing water and solids.
- Offset joints, where one section of pipe has shifted against the next.
- Cracks, missing pieces and collapsed sections.
- Grease or scale narrowing the pipe.
From inside the house, every one of these looks like a drain that keeps clogging. Each has a different fix, and some of them can't be fixed by cleaning at all.
When the camera is used during a service call, it adds $60 to the visit.
Finding the spot from above
The camera head carries a transmitter. With a locator held at ground level, the operator can mark where the head is and roughly how deep. That mark turns "there is a break somewhere" into "the break is under the front walk, about six feet down," which is the difference between a spot repair and digging up the yard to look.
When to get one
- The same line has clogged twice in a year.
- A cable came back with roots or mud on it.
- You are buying a house built before about 1970. A standard home inspection typically doesn't cover the sewer lateral, and replacing one is among the more expensive surprises an old house can hold.
- You are applying to a city sewer lateral repair program. The City of St. Louis, for one, asks for a plumber's report and video of the problem.
What you should get
Ask for a copy of the recording. Footage with the distance counter showing is what a repair contractor will want to see, and it lets you get a second opinion without paying for a second inspection.
One caution: some city lateral programs, O'Fallon's and St. Peters' among them, won't pay for a video done before you apply. If you already suspect a broken lateral in one of those cities, read the program's rules first.
Other cities want to see footage. In Maryland Heights, where the city pays the full cost of a lateral repair up to $10,000, the video is what shows whether a line that keeps clogging is broken.
If the footage shows a break, the next step is lining or excavation.
Common questions
How much does a sewer camera inspection cost?
When the camera is used during a service call, it adds $60 to the visit, on top of $240 an hour for the service work. For an inspection on its own, such as before buying a house, ask for the price when you call.
Should I get a sewer camera inspection before buying a house?
For a house built before about 1970, yes. A standard home inspection typically doesn't look inside the sewer lateral, and the lateral becomes yours when the sale closes. Finding roots, a sag or a break before closing gives you something to negotiate with. Finding it afterward is your bill.
Does the line have to be cleared before it can be inspected?
Usually. A camera can't see through standing water or a mass of roots, so a blocked line is opened first and then inspected. That is why the camera is often run on the same visit as the cleaning.
Will my city's lateral repair program accept the video?
It depends on the city. The City of St. Louis asks for a plumber's report and video of the problem. O'Fallon and St. Peters won't cover a video done before you apply. Read your town's rules before you pay for an inspection you plan to submit.