What is drain inspection

Drain inspections explained

When moving into their new homes, most homeowners only think of the bliss of a new environment and are oblivious of any terrible experience they may encounter. One of the worst nightmares any homeowner could have is a plumbing clog.

When this happens, the sewage begins to back up into the house, and the challenge is that it is not always easy to know the cause of the leak, clog, or drip, as the case may be. It takes using some tools that advancements in technology and plumbing have provided to resolve the issue.

Among such tools are drain inspection cameras which plumbers use to trace and magnify plumbing issues so they can have close-up views of the problem. This usually comes up after it has been confirmed that you cannot easily identify the plumbing issue.

How is a drain inspection done?

If a drain inspection is to be conducted, a drain camera is one important tool required for successfully completing the exercise. The camera is small and is usually attached to a long 200-ft. (60 m) semi-rigid line. With this attachment, the line is run down by a plumbing system that needs to be inspected.

There is a small in-built light, and there is also a small handheld screen from which plumbers have a clear vision of what is happening down the drain. Plumbers can use drain inspections to view common factors such as bellies (when pipes start sagging), pipe material, and debris build-up that lead to clogs, broken pipe sections, and others.

When is a drain inspection necessary?

Often, people are advised to carry out a drain inspection when clogs or issues related to inaccessible pipes are discovered. However, there are other benefits you can enjoy with annual drain inspections or every few years. In other words, you don't have to wait to carry out a drain inspection until there are plumbing issues.

Most of the plumbing issues people encounter don't occur overnight. Suppose you can see and understand what is happening with your drains before serious problems arise. In that case, you can catch blockage build-up, debris, tree root damage, and issues like pipe corrosion before you experience sewage spilling on your basement floor.

The importance of a drain inspection

It is vital to conduct drain inspections for different reasons, including preventing potential risks such as floods, leaks, and some other types of public and safety issues.

The proper execution of drain inspections can help do the following:

• The early detection of problems that can forestall expensive repairs
• It can help you avoid the issue of slow water drainage and waste blockages
• It gets the risk of damaged drainage systems and pipelines mitigated
• It helps to promote and increase environmental safety

Common drain issues

Tree roots

Most people would root for a tree-lined neighbourhood any day, but tree roots are the cause of significant plumbing problems and are capable of causing severe havoc in plumbing systems. Tree roots seek water underground, and pipes with minor leaks will begin to attract growing roots.

These roots will eventually find their way into any leaky sewer system. When growing roots surround leaky sewer systems, severe issues such as disconnected pipes or even flooding may emanate. Given enough time, tree roots can break concrete flooring and rocks into pieces.

So, if you have a bunch of trees growing on your property, you must conduct a drainage inspection regularly. If you can conduct a monthly inspection, you should be able to get ahead of potential issues that can damage your plumbing system and also prevent costly repairs that may occur.

Dirt and debris

Dirt and debris are always on the list of causes of clogged kitchen sinks and toilets. Many items should never find their way through your plumbing system, and these include:

• Oil
• Fats
• Grease
• Wipes
• Tissues
• Cotton pads
• Chunks of food

There is usually a build-up of dead skin, hair, and dirt, which can act like a magnet that will start compacting significant bits of debris together until the pipe becomes clogged entirely. With frequent drainage system cleaning, you can avoid issues that can come up as a result of these inevitable build-ups.

Damaged pipes

Different types of sewer pipes are made from all sorts of materials, such as metal, fired clay, and even hollow wood. The materials used in the plumbing system could depend on the age of the system itself. Sadly, no solution is free from the effects of age and damage.

Plumbing systems that use plastic pipes may soon start sagging and even separate when the earth settles around them. There are times when defects occur along the glue joints or some other types of poor installation issues that may lead to leaks.

Cast iron pipes suffer corrosion with time, and the rate at which it occurs will depend on the water's pH levels. When pipes become corroded, leaks, bellies, open access to tree roots, and total disconnection of pipes from the plumbing system may occur.

A pre-purchase drain inspection can help you

Sometimes, a pre-purchase drain inspection is referred to as a pre-purchase drain survey or home buyer's drain survey. This is different from a CCTV drain inspection because it extends beyond identifying and fixing a problem but involves mapping the drain network.

To carry out this type of inspection, a drain engineer will feed a high-resolution camera into the system from an access point nearby. Such access points can be an inspection chamber or a utility hole.

A drainage engineer stays above ground to control the entire process by feeding the camera through the system. The defects, location, and size are all noted for immediate amendments.

Do you need a pre-purchase drain inspection?

Attempting to move home can stretch anyone financially, and the experience can even be worse for those buying for the first time. Usually, such people are left with less cash at this point. An unexpected maintenance problem is not anyone's idea of a picnic, so getting a pre-purchase drain inspection is excellent.

This simple step will highlight drainage problems before you decide on buying any property and mitigates the surprise of any costly repairs. In many cases, sellers don't have time or enough liquidity to put their properties in the best shape and form.

Going with a pre-purchase inspection can throw the door open to having more discussions with the seller, in which case, you can negotiate the cost of the repairs incurred off the property's price.

Working with a drainage inspection checklist

Trained engineers use a drainage inspection checklist to evaluate drain problems. They also use this checklist to document their findings and the nature of the problem. The checklist will usually have the following information:

• Give the general information, including size, pipe length, and ownership
• Find out the cause of the incident and the consequences that followed
• With the CCTV drain camera, get annotated photo evidence with helpful detailed notes attached
• Take notes of the actions and the outcome of the work done
• Provide general recommendations
• Using a digital signature to sign off to validate the inspection

Find an expert to inspect your drains

In whatever type of home you live in, you need to maintain constant drain inspection as long as a functional plumbing system exists. Although a drain inspection is also recommended when there are core plumbing issues, you don't have to wait until you have significant plumbing issues on your hands.

There is a cost attached to calling for a drain inspection which you will have to take care of as a homeowner. However, there is a higher cost that you may have to take care of if you wait till big plumbing issues rear their ugly heads. Therefore, it is good practice to conduct drain inspections regularly, and you can rest assured that it is an exercise worth the investment.