When Should You Get a Sewer Camera Inspection?

A sewer camera inspection is the closest thing plumbing has to an X-ray — and like an X-ray, its value depends entirely on when you use it. Here are the situations where it's the right call, and what it actually shows.

The five right times

Repeat backups at the same fixture — one backup is a clog, two is a structural question. Before buying a home — the cheapest insurance against a five-figure lateral replacement. When a contractor recommends excavation — verify with a camera before anyone digs. Persistent sewer odors — the camera finds the crack the nose only suspects. An older home with unknown lateral history — if your Sandy home predates the 1980s and the lateral was never replaced, you don't know what you own.

What the camera shows

Roots infiltrating joints, cracks and fractures, bellies (sagging sections that trap solids), offsets where sections have separated, scale buildup, and breaks — each with distance markers and surface-located positions. You'll watch it live; roots and breaks are unmistakable.

What it doesn't show

Pressure integrity — a hairline defect can look fine on camera but fail a hydrostatic test. That's why cameras pair with pressure testing for complete diagnosis. And heavily obstructed lines may need cleaning before the camera can pass; that's normal, not a failure.

The pre-purchase case

This deserves emphasis: a sewer scope during the inspection period is the highest-value few hundred dollars in a home purchase. Lateral replacements run deep into five figures, they're invisible without a camera, and sellers rarely disclose what they can't see either. In Sandy's older neighborhoods with original laterals, skipping the scope is gambling.

Frequently asked questions