Sewers over 40 years old probably need replacing, but there are ways to check more accurately. Sewer camera inspection is an aspect of trenchless sewer repair which is becoming increasingly popular. According to an Angie’s List poll, 78% of respondents had never heard of “no dig” sewer technology. That’s probably because the technologies have only been available for residential use for about 10 years. Regardless, it’s an easier, cost-effective, and efficient way to do pipe repair. Proper pipe inspection is one of the first things professionals will do when arriving on a job to determine exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. Here are the three basic pieces or equipment needed to perform sewer camera inspection.

1.) Power Source: you’re going to need a source to power the rest of teh equipment from. In most cases this comes in the form of a small generator inside the service truck. Along with the generator there is usually a video monitoring, recording equipment, and a display to view everything the camera sees.


2.) Cable: Inside the truck will also be a powered reel with Kevlar-reinforced video cable. Sometimes steel wire braid is used instead of Kevlar. Many trucks will also have a winch to lower and retrieve the sewer camera inspection equipment in and out of the sewer itself.


3.) Camera: The most important part of the operation. These cameras are also known as PIGs (pipeline inspection gauges). They consist of the camera itself and lights on a swiveling head and cylindrical body. This allows the camera to pan and tilt remotely. That along with the lights allow the service technician to see everything inside of your sewer from well above the ground on the monitor in his truck. Some cameras even feature lasers that will measure the diameter of the pipe and other data.