Have an issue with your drains at home or in your business premises? You won’t be able to see exactly what’s going on inside those pipes, especially if they’re underground.
But luckily, there’s a brilliantly effective diagnostic tool you can make use of. CCTV drain surveys are able to quickly and accurately pinpoint the source of blocked drains and other problems.
Read on to find out more about how drain surveys work, what issues they can detect and why they’re so effective.
What Is a CCTV Drain Survey?
A CCTV drain survey involves using a special type of camera inside drainage systems, to identify the source of a problem (i.e. a blockage or leak).
A survey specialist will use a high tech waterproof camera, at the end of a long cable. This will be fed into and along pipes, while the operator views the live video on a high resolution screen. The captured images can also be recorded for reviewing later, or for evidence purposes.
On the screen, the operator will be able to clearly see if there’s a blockage and what’s causing it. Once the issue is diagnosed, the appropriate solution can be chosen – whether that’s drain rodding, water jetting or something else.
What Kinds of Issues Can CCTV Drain Unblocking Surveys Detect?
You’d be amazed at the kinds of things that can block your drains. Here are a few of the most common issues a survey is able to detect:
- Blockages caused by cooking oil, fats, hair, wet wipes and other household debris
- Tree root ingress
- Cracks, fractures, loose joints and other damage to pipes
- Collapsed drains
- Signs of rodent infestation
- Scale build-up.
Uses of CCTV Drain Surveys
A CCTV survey can be useful in all kinds of situations. The most obvious is if you have a blockage, notice water is draining away too slowly or your drains aren’t smelling too great.
But you can also use a survey if you’re buying a new property and need to check out the drains beforehand – or if you’re developing land or starting a landscaping project.
Surveys should also be part of a regular schedule of preventative maintenance. If you can stop problems in their tracks, you can avoid expensive and disruptive work later on.
Benefits of CCTV Drain Surveys
Now, let’s run through a few of the major benefits on offer with CCTV drainage surveys:
Spot Problems Early
When it comes to drains, the earlier issues can be identified and dealt with, the better. Leave it too long and you could end up with a collapsed or leaking drain, which may be expensive to fix.
Pinpoint the Exact Cause of a Problem
Lots of things can cause drainage problems, and the remedy may also be different for each. This is why it’s crucial to know exactly what’s going on in your pipework, something that CCTV camera technology can help with.
Choose the Right Drain Unblocking Solution
A drain specialist can’t start to resolve a problem with your drains until they know exactly what’s causing it. Any solution they try could potentially make the problem worse, if it’s not the right one for the situation. With a camera survey, they can see the issue with their own eyes and choose the most effective, quickest and cheapest method for unblocking the drain.
Avoid Excavation
Before CCTV camera technology was available, it was extremely difficult to accurately identify or even investigate the causes of blocked drains.
The only real solution was excavation, involving messy, disruptive and expensive work digging up drainage pipes and clearing or replacing them.
CCTV drain surveys have eliminated the need for any of that, offering an affordable, fast and non-invasive way to investigate drainage problems.
Provide Evidence for Insurance Purposes
If you’re claiming on your insurance for a drainage or flooding issue, a CCTV survey can provide acceptable evidence to support your claim.