Sewer Camera Inspection in San Antonio, TX

Pinpoint Sewer Problems with a San Antonio Sewer Camera Inspection

Dealing with persistent drain issues can be a frustrating and mysterious ordeal for any homeowner. Recurring clogs, slow drains, and unpleasant odors often signal a deeper problem hidden within your sewer lines. In the past, diagnosing these underground issues involved extensive guesswork and often disruptive, costly excavation. Today, modern plumbing technology provides a definitive, non-invasive solution: a sewer camera inspection.

By using state-of-the-art video equipment, our skilled technicians can travel through your sewer pipes to get a real-time view of their condition. This eliminates speculation, allowing us to accurately identify the exact nature and location of any problem. For homeowners in San Antonio, a sewer camera inspection is the first and most critical step toward a fast, effective, and lasting solution to their sewer and drain troubles.

When to Schedule a Sewer Line Inspection

While a single clogged drain might be a minor inconvenience, certain symptoms point to more significant issues brewing within your main sewer line. If you notice any of the following signs, it is wise to consider a professional video inspection:

• Frequent Backups: If multiple drains in your home (toilets, showers, sinks) are backing up simultaneously or on a recurring basis, the blockage is likely in the main sewer line, not an individual drain pipe.
• Slow Draining Fixtures: A system-wide slowdown in drainage is a classic indicator of a partial obstruction or problem within the main line.
• Unpleasant Odors: The persistent smell of sewer gas inside or outside your home suggests a crack or break in the sewer line that is allowing gas to escape.
• Gurgling Sounds: Strange gurgling noises coming from your toilets or drains, especially when water is running elsewhere, often mean that air is being displaced in the line by a blockage.
• Lush, Green Patches in Your Yard: An unusually vibrant or fast-growing patch of grass in your lawn, even during dry weather, can be a sign of a leaking sewer line fertilizing the soil from below.
• Foundation Issues: In severe cases, a long-term, untreated sewer line leak can saturate and erode the soil beneath your home’s foundation, leading to cracks, settling, or slab leaks.
• Pre-Purchase Home Inspection: Before buying a new home, especially an older one, a sewer camera inspection provides invaluable peace of mind by revealing the health of a critical and expensive-to-repair system.

Our Detailed Sewer Camera Inspection Process

We believe in a transparent and thorough approach that empowers you with knowledge about your home's plumbing system. When you schedule an inspection with our team, you can expect a meticulous process from start to finish.

First, our licensed technician will arrive at your property and identify the best access point to your sewer system. This is typically a cleanout, which is a capped pipe that allows for direct entry into the sewer line. If a cleanout is not accessible, we may access the line by removing a toilet.

Next, a specialized, high-resolution waterproof video camera is attached to a flexible fiber-optic cable. The technician carefully feeds this cable into your sewer line. As the camera travels through the pipes, it transmits a live video feed to a monitor, allowing both you and the technician to see the inside of your sewer line in real-time, clear detail.

The technician expertly navigates the camera through the entire length of your lateral line, from your home to where it connects with the municipal sewer main. During this journey, we can measure the precise distance from the access point to any problem area, pinpointing its exact location. The entire inspection is recorded, providing a valuable digital record of your pipe's condition.

Upon completion, our technician will review the footage with you, explaining exactly what was found. We will show you the problem areas, diagnose the cause, and provide a clear, detailed explanation of the findings. Based on this accurate diagnosis, we will then present you with the most effective and efficient options for repair.

What a Video Inspection Can Uncover

The clarity of a sewer camera inspection allows us to identify a wide range of issues with complete certainty. This technology reveals problems that would otherwise be impossible to diagnose without excavation. Common discoveries include:

• Severe Blockages: We can see exactly what is causing a clog, whether it’s a buildup of grease, foreign objects, or other debris.
• Tree Root Intrusion: One of the most common and destructive sewer line problems. We can see where roots have infiltrated the pipe, the extent of the growth, and the damage they have caused.
• Broken, Cracked, or Collapsed Pipes: The camera can clearly show fractures, breaks, or sections where the pipe has been crushed due to shifting soil or external pressure.
• Corroded or Deteriorated Pipes: Over time, older cast iron or clay pipes can corrode and break down. The inspection reveals the overall structural integrity of the pipe material.
• Leaking or Offset Joints: We can identify sections where pipe joints have separated or settled, allowing water and waste to leak into the surrounding soil.
• "Bellied" or Sagging Pipes: The inspection can reveal low spots or "bellies" in the line where gravity has caused a section to dip. These sags collect waste and debris, leading to chronic blockages.

By understanding the exact problem, we can recommend the right solution. A simple clog might require professional drain cleaning or hydro jetting, while a broken pipe or severe root intrusion would necessitate a targeted sewer line repair or replacement. The camera inspection ensures you only pay for the work that is truly needed, saving you from the expense and hassle of unnecessary repairs.

See Exactly What’s Going On in Your Pipes with Roadrunner Plumbing & Air

When sewer problems strike, guesswork can lead to unnecessary digging and costly repairs. Roadrunner Plumbing & Air uses advanced sewer camera inspection technology to find the exact cause and location of the issue—fast. You’ll see what we see in real time, so you can make informed decisions without the stress or surprises.

Call us today to schedule your sewer camera inspection. We also offer flexible financing options so you can take care of your sewer line issues now and pay over time.