What a CCTV Drain Camera Actually Shows

When a drain keeps blocking, the worst thing you can do is keep guessing, or worse, start digging. A CCTV drain camera takes the guesswork out of it: we send a waterproof camera down the line and watch exactly what is going on, and exactly where. Here is what it shows and when it is worth doing.

What it is

It is a small, high-resolution waterproof camera on a long flexible rod, fed through the drain while we watch the footage live on a screen. A locator on the camera head lets us mark the exact spot above ground, so any repair is targeted instead of trial-and-error.

What the camera finds

Inside an old pipe, the camera shows up the things you can never see from the surface:

• Tree roots growing in through a joint (the most common find in Newcastle’s older suburbs).
• Cracks and fractures in the pipe wall.
• Collapses, where a section has caved in.
• Sags or “bellies”, low spots where water and waste pool and block.
• Blockages from grease, foreign objects or a build-up of debris.
• Misaligned or displaced joints from ground movement.

You watch it on the screen with us, so you can see the actual problem rather than taking our word for it.

When you would want one

• Recurring blockages. If a drain keeps blocking after being cleared, a camera finds the underlying cause (usually roots or a damaged pipe). See our guide on tree roots in drains.
• Before buying a property. A pre-purchase drain inspection can save you from inheriting an expensive sewer problem.
• Before any repair. We camera the line before pipe relining or any dig, so the fix is precise.
• For an insurance claim, where you need to prove the cause and location of the damage.

What happens after

Once we can see the problem, we can give you a clear, fixed price for the right fix, whether that is clearing the line, relining a damaged section, or a repair. No surprises, because we have both seen exactly what is down there.

If you are in Newcastle and tired of guessing why a drain keeps blocking, book a CCTV drain inspection and we will show you what is really going on.