Sewer Camera Inspection in Atlanta, GA

Good reasons to scope a line

The same clog keeps returning. A line that needs clearing over and over has something inside snagging waste. Video shows whether it is roots, a belly, a broken section or grease.

You have a big quote in hand. Before agreeing to replacement, ask to see the footage it is based on. A recording also makes a second opinion easy to get.

You are buying a home. Standard home inspections generally leave out the sewer lateral. In Atlanta, about 42.7% of homes were built before 1980, and older intown houses on wooded lots are where clay pipe and root problems are most common.

What happens during the inspection

1. The plumber opens an exterior cleanout. Without one, access may be through a roof vent or a pulled toilet.
2. The camera is fed down the line while a monitor shows the inside of the pipe and a counter tracks footage.
3. Where there is a problem, a locator above ground picks up the camera head's signal to mark the location and approximate depth.
4. Findings are explained, and a video copy is often available.

A backed-up line generally has to be cleared first, since the camera can't see through standing sewage.

Problems a camera can catch

• Root masses at joints
• Cracked, broken or collapsed sections
• Offset joints where pipe has shifted
• Bellies that hold water and debris
• Grease, scale and foreign objects
• Changes in pipe material, such as old clay tied into newer plastic

Public sewer versus private line

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management handles wastewater collection and treatment. The line serving your building is the owner's to maintain. When the footage shows a defect at the connection to the public main or a spill from a public line, contact ATL 311 at 404-546-0311 and keep the video for reference. Some addresses on the DeKalb side may be served by DeKalb County, so check who bills you for sewer.

What affects the cost

Whether there is a usable cleanout, how long the line is, whether it must be cleared before filming, and whether locating and a recording are included all change the price. Confirm what you will receive before the visit.