In any field, trade, or industry, the way things are done evolves over time. As new technologies develop and new tools become available, all types of professionals must march forward with the times. And although you may picture a plumber as a person who shows up with a wrench and a plunger, today’s plumber has access to much more exciting equipment.
In the past, a plumber might have had to remove large sections of wall or pull up extensive areas of floorboards to access the pipes in a home, because they would have had such limited information about what was wrong or where the problem was. Now, modern plumbers use a technique called video pipe inspection. What’s that all about? How does it work? We’ll tell you everything.
Fiber-Optic Cameras
The room is sealed and secure, the treasure on display in a cabinet. What are the security measures in place? The thief must know before they can steal their prize. They use a tiny camera on a flexible, fiber optic scope to enter the room through a hole less than an inch in diameter, from a storage room in the basement below. Have you seen something like this in a movie?
These are the exact sort of cameras your plumber can use in your home today. Of course, in this case, the plumber is the thief, and the treasure is a clog or leak somewhere in the pipes in your house, but it’s still pretty exciting! These cameras can extend long distances, enter narrow pipes, and show your plumber exactly what’s happening inside your plumbing in real-time, on a video display.
When Video Pipe Inspection Is Done
What are the circumstances that might call for a video pipe inspection? It can be used for a variety of plumbing concerns.
- Clogs: While most plumbing clogs can be addressed without this method, if you have recurring clogs or slow drains, or it’s happening in more than one drain at the same time, the blockage responsible may be lodged deep within your home’s drainage system. Video pipe inspection can get to the true cause, so your problem will be fully resolved.
- Sewer Line Trouble: The sewer line extends from your home to your septic system or the municipal sewer pipe. Frequent clogs elsewhere in your drains can indicate a blockage there. Also, soggy, smelly, or particularly green and grassy areas in your yard are clues that the sewer line is damaged and leaking. Video pipe inspection can get all the way into that sewer line.
- Leaks: If you have a known or suspected leak somewhere in your home’s piping, and you don’t want whole walls torn out in the process of locating it, video pipe inspection will impress you with its precision!
- Old Plumbing: If your home is getting on in years, you should definitely use video pipe inspection to assess any corrosion or damage that may have occurred over the decades, and to uncover any outdated or unsafe plumbing materials from the past.
- Home Purchase: When buying a home, video pipe inspection is likely not part of the routine inspection you would have done. But—particularly in the case of an older home—knowing the details of the plumbing could save you a great deal of grief.
If you think video pipe inspection in Livingston, NJ might be a good choice for you, we’re happy to help!
Contact MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. today to schedule an appointment or ask any questions about your plumbing!