About the CCTV Drain Survey
A CCTV drain survey sends a camera along your drain pipes and shows the inside of the pipe on a screen. It finds blockages, cracks, roots and pipes that have slipped out of line, and it needs no digging. Because you see the actual pipe, the survey is the clearest way to judge a drain.
If you want the basics first, read what a CCTV drain survey is. This page goes further and shows how a survey runs and what comes next.
How a CCTV Drain Survey Works
The engineer feeds the camera into the drain through an access point. That is usually a manhole, an inspection chamber or a rodding eye. The camera sits on a flexible cable, and a screen shows a live picture as the cable goes in.
The engineer records the run and notes the distance along the pipe for each fault. As a result, anyone can find the same spot later. You then get a written report that says what the camera found and where.
The recording can help other contractors or your insurer, since they can check the findings for themselves. Cameras vary in size, so the engineer picks one to suit the pipe. A narrow household drain needs a small head, while a larger pipe takes a bigger one.
What a CCTV Survey Shows
The camera picks up detail you cannot see any other way:
- Roots. They enter through hairline cracks in clay joints and keep growing. The camera shows where they got in, so you know whether clearing is enough or the crack needs sealing.
- Slipped joints. Ground movement can push two pipes out of line. The step that results catches tissue and fat, which makes it a common cause of repeat blockages.
- Deformed or collapsed pipe. Old clay pipes can crush or crack under the soil. A badly squashed pipe slows the flow.
- Cracks. A small crack may not block the drain. However, it lets ground water in and lets roots through.
- Fat and scale. The camera shows how thickly the pipe wall is coated, which tells the engineer how hard to clean it.
When a Survey Makes Sense
A survey is the right first step in several cases. Recurring blockages top the list, because a drain that keeps blocking usually has a fault that holds debris. You can read more in our guide on why you might need a CCTV drain survey.
Buying a house is another good moment. A survey before exchange shows the state of the drains, so you can ask for a lower price or a repair before you commit. Damp, sinking ground and nearby building work are also reasons to look inside the pipe.
Insurers may ask for a survey report with a claim. Repairs need one too, since a survey shows the true size of the job before work starts. For the cost side, see what changes the price of a survey.
What Happens After the Survey
The next step depends on what the camera shows. A build-up of fat or silt needs a jet wash, and you can read how this works in our guide to clearing blocked drains. Roots need cutting out. Then the crack needs sealing, or the roots will return.
A slipped joint that keeps catching debris may need a short liner. A collapsed section may need a full liner or a dig. For a closer look at the lining option, see how drain lining improves a damaged pipe and why we use drain relining.
For a broken pipe that has sunk, read about the signs and causes of a collapsed drain. The survey gives you and your contractor the same facts. Therefore you both agree on the problem before any work begins.
Surveys Around North London
Older streets matter here, since many have clay pipes that are now very old. One example is what ageing clay drains need in Edgware. We cover drain unblocking in Enfield, blocked drains in Barnet and drain help in Edgware.
Not sure what your drain needs? Read what a drain specialist does and how a drain unblocker service works. You can also look at our CCTV drain survey service or our blocked drains service. To ask about a survey, send the online enquiry form.