A slow-draining sink or the occasional unpleasant smell may seem like a minor nuisance. But when drainage problems keep returning, there may be more going on below the surface.
A CCTV drain survey provides a way to look inside your drainage system without immediately digging up pipes or guessing at the cause of the problem. A specialist camera is passed through the drain so its condition can be inspected from the inside.
For homeowners, landlords and property managers, this can help answer an important question: what is actually causing the drainage problem?
What is a CCTV drain survey?
A CCTV drain survey is an inspection of the inside of drainage pipes using specialist camera equipment.
Instead of relying only on what can be seen above ground, the camera provides a view from inside the pipe. This can help a drainage engineer identify the location and nature of a problem before deciding what action may be needed.
At Singing in the Drains, CCTV drain surveys are used to help identify issues including wear and tear, misaligned pipe joints and collapsed drains.
That information can be particularly useful when a drainage problem does not have an obvious cause or keeps returning after a drain has been cleared.
What can a CCTV drain survey find?
There are many reasons why a drain may stop working properly. A camera inspection can help reveal problems that would otherwise remain hidden underground.
Depending on the condition of the drainage system, an inspection may identify issues such as:
- cracks or damage within a pipe;
- displaced or misaligned joints;
- sections of damaged or collapsed drain;
- debris or other obstructions;
- areas where waste is repeatedly collecting;
- signs of deterioration within the drainage system.
Finding the cause matters because different problems require different solutions.
A simple blockage, for example, may be cleared through professional drain unblocking and cleaning. More significant pipe damage may instead require drain repair.
A CCTV survey helps provide the information needed to make that distinction rather than treating every drainage problem in the same way.
When should you consider a CCTV drain survey?
You do not necessarily need a camera survey every time water takes slightly longer than usual to disappear down the plughole.
There are, however, several situations where taking a closer look inside the drains can be useful.
Your drains keep blocking
One blocked drain does not always suggest a major problem. But if the same drain repeatedly blocks after being cleared, it is worth finding out why.
Repeated blockages may indicate that there is an underlying problem rather than a one-off obstruction.
A CCTV drain survey can allow the drainage system to be inspected more closely so the cause can be identified and the next step considered.
You notice ongoing bad smells
Unpleasant drain smells can have several possible causes.
If cleaning and clearing accessible areas does not solve the problem, an inspection may help identify whether there is an issue further along the drainage system.
This can be particularly useful when the smell keeps returning but there is no obvious sign of a blockage above ground.
Several drains are slow
A single slow sink may have a fairly local cause. If several toilets, sinks, showers or other drains are struggling at the same time, the problem could be further along the system.
Rather than repeatedly treating individual drains, a professional investigation can help establish whether they share a common cause.
You suspect a damaged drain
Drain pipes are largely hidden from view, which makes it difficult to judge their condition from ground level.
If there are reasons to suspect damage, a camera survey provides a way to inspect the inside of the drainage system before deciding whether repairs are necessary.
Singing in the Drains offers drain repair services for problems including cracked and collapsed pipes, so identifying the type and location of damage is an important first step.
You are planning building work
Drainage can be an important consideration when altering or extending a property.
Government guidance under Approved Document H covers foul water drainage, including below-ground drainage, inspection chambers and protection of pipework.
If building work may affect existing drainage, understanding where pipes run and their current condition can be useful before work begins.
Always seek the appropriate professional advice for your particular project, especially where building regulations or public sewers may be involved.
You are buying a property
A normal viewing cannot tell you much about the condition of pipes buried beneath a property.
For some buyers, particularly where there are signs of drainage trouble or concerns about an older system, a specialist drain inspection may provide additional information about the condition of the drainage.
This is separate from the standard water and drainage searches carried out during the purchase process and should be considered according to the circumstances of the property.
Is a CCTV survey the same as clearing a blocked drain?
No. They perform different jobs.
Drain unblocking is intended to restore the flow when an obstruction is preventing a drain from working normally.
A CCTV drain survey is an inspection designed to help establish what is happening inside the drainage system.
Sometimes the immediate priority is simply to clear an obstruction. In other cases, particularly when problems keep returning, a camera survey may help explain why the drain became blocked in the first place.
The appropriate approach depends on the symptoms and condition of the drainage system.
Who is responsible for the drain?
Before arranging extensive work, it can also be useful to understand who is responsible for the affected pipe.
In England, homeowners are generally responsible for drains serving their property within its boundary, while sewerage companies are usually responsible for public sewers and many lateral drains.
There can be exceptions, so responsibility should be checked for the specific drainage system involved.
Knowing where a problem is located can therefore help establish not only what may need attention, but also who should deal with it.
What happens after a CCTV drain survey?
The next step depends entirely on what the inspection finds.
If there is no serious damage, major repair work may not be necessary. If an obstruction or build-up is identified, cleaning or high-pressure water jetting might be appropriate. If the pipe itself is damaged, drain repair may need to be considered.
The important point is that any recommendation can be based on evidence from inside the drainage system rather than guesswork.
That can make a CCTV drain survey particularly useful when the cause of a drainage problem is unclear.
Need a closer look at your drains?
If your drains keep blocking, you have unexplained drainage problems or you simply need a clearer picture of what is happening below ground, a CCTV drain survey may help identify the cause.
Singing in the Drains provides CCTV drain surveys for homes and businesses in London, alongside drain unblocking, cleaning and repair services.
If you are unsure whether you need a survey, speak to the Singing in the Drains team about the symptoms you are experiencing. They can help you decide on an appropriate next step.