As a Toronto homeowner, you have a lot of responsibilities. One of them is your sewer line. Your sewage system is made up of a lot of pipes buried underground…where you can’t see them. When this network of pipes is working well, it’s easy to take your sewage system for granted. You won’t be taking things for granted, however, if you experience common sewer problems like drains running agonizingly slow or toilets gurgling after they’re flushed. Whenever you encounter such problems, you need to book a drain line inspection in Toronto.
Read on to find out more about what sewer video inspections are, when such inspections are necessary, why it’s actually cheaper to hire professional plumbers than it is to do the job yourself, and the expected results of a video inspection.
What is a Sewer Line Inspection?
A sewer line inspection is exactly what the term implies…an inspection of the inside of your sewage system. Professional plumbers use a special camera that is a waterproof device attached to a durable, yet flexible, cable. The camera is pushed through the pipe so that the plumber operating it can check out the condition of the pipes. After the sewer line inspection is done, the plumber will explain what was found, recommend a fix if there are any issues, any issues, and help you decide what option to take.
When is it Necessary?
There are at least 2 scenarios when a drain line inspection in Toronto is necessary. One involves buying or selling a home and the other involves drainage issues:
- Home Purchase or Sale: Are you in the market for a new home? Do you plan to put your home on the market sooner rather than later? It’s a good idea to retain the services of a professional plumbing company to perform a sewer camera inspection in either case. In fact, it might be mandatory. Getting this inspection will let you know whether or not the sewer piping is, firstly, in good working order and, secondly, up to code. You can well imagine how expensive things can be if undiagnosed problems are left to get worse over time. This is especially true if you’re dealing with an older home – one that is at least 25 years old. The materials used to make pipes back then aren’t as durable as the materials they use today.
- Drainage Problems: Another reason to call in a professional plumber to conduct a camera inspection is if you experience and sewer problems such as the following:
- Foul smell coming from the drains in your home
- Toilets will not flush
- Toilet gurgles after it’s been flushed
- Water takes a really long time to go down the drain
If you encounter any of these issues, it’s worth contacting a professional plumber to check it out.
Why is it More Cost-Effective to Hire a Company Versus DIY?
While there are lots of projects that a capable DIY type can take on and successfully complete, a drain line video inspection simply isn’t one of them. This job requires specialized equipment, a knowledge of how to properly access the drain system, the skill to perform the procedure, and the ability to both interpret the findings and to recommend the right solution. When you consider that a full inspection will typically cost between $300 and $500, you can appreciate that the cost is quite reasonable for what the job entails. If you do it yourself, you will have to track down the proper equipment. That will be a tall order. Even if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a sewer camera, you would also need to know how to do it properly and how to fix any problems. There’s also the potential for costly errors. So you can appreciate the importance of hiring pros.
Sewer Video Inspection: Expected Results
The main benefit of getting a drain line video inspection in Toronto is that the plumbing professional doing the work will be able to quickly and accurately find any problems inside your pipes. And the sooner problems are discovered, the sooner something can be done to remedy them. If issues are left untended for too long, they will lead to greater issues that might end up costing far more than routine maintenance like an inspection. You can avoid headaches and stress by calling in a professional plumbing company to do a drain line video inspection.
