Camera Inspection Services We Handle
- Sewer line camera inspection for clogs, cracks, and blockages
- Root intrusion diagnosis
- Pre-purchase sewer line inspections for home buyers
- Post-repair verification inspections
- Locating breaks and bellies before trenchless repair
Signs You Need a Sewer Camera Inspection
- Frequent clogs that keep coming back after cleaning
- Slow drainage across multiple fixtures at once, not just one sink or toilet
- Gurgling sounds from drains when other fixtures run
- Sewage odors inside the house or near the yard
- Wet spots, unusually green patches, or soft ground in the yard with no obvious cause
- Buying an older home and wanting to know the condition of the sewer line before you close
What a Camera Inspection Finds
The camera goes into the line through an existing cleanout or access point and sends live video back to a monitor, so we're looking at the actual condition of the pipe instead of guessing from symptoms. That includes the exact location of a clog, cracks or breaks in the pipe wall, root intrusion, corrosion in older cast iron or clay lines, and bellies — low spots where the pipe has settled and traps standing water. Once we know exactly what's wrong and where, we can recommend the right fix instead of the most expensive one.
From Inspection to Repair
Not everything a camera finds needs the yard torn up. Many problems — a belly, a cracked section, root intrusion at a joint — can be addressed with trenchless repair: pipe lining, which cures a flexible liner in place inside the damaged pipe, or pipe bursting, which pulls a new pipe through while breaking apart the old one. Both go through one or two small access points instead of an open trench across the yard. A full excavation is still sometimes the right call — a badly collapsed line or a pipe that's shifted out of grade over a long run — and if that's what the camera shows, we'll tell you plainly instead of pushing a trenchless fix that won't hold.
Locating the Line
Many camera heads carry a small transmitter that a locator wand can trace from the surface, so along with diagnosing the pipe's condition, we can mark the exact path and depth of the line. That's useful before landscaping, fencing, planting a tree, or any digging near where the line runs — knowing where it sits ahead of time avoids an accidental strike.
Buying a Home? Get the Line Inspected First
A sewer camera inspection before closing tells you the age and material of the line, whether roots have already intruded at the joints, and whether there are any offsets or bellies that will need attention down the road. That's information a standard home inspection doesn't cover, and it gives you a clear picture of what you're taking on instead of finding out the hard way after the first backup.
How Long an Inspection Takes
Most residential inspections are a single visit — running the camera down the line, documenting what we find on video, and reviewing it with you before we leave. If the inspection turns up something that needs repair, we'll walk through the options on the spot rather than leaving you to guess at what happens next.
When a Camera Alone Isn't Enough
A line that's severely clogged with grease, sludge, or debris sometimes has to be cleared before a camera can see anything useful — pushing a camera through standing debris just gets it dirty without showing the pipe behind it. In those cases, we'll run a drain cleaning or hydro jetting pass first to clear the line, then follow with the camera to confirm the pipe itself is sound and check for any damage the clog may have been hiding.
Treasure Valley Sewer Camera Inspection
We run camera inspections across Caldwell, Boise, Meridian, Nampa, and the rest of the Treasure Valley from our shop on Commercial Way in Caldwell. Call (208) 366-5771 and a real person answers — no phone tree, no call center. Family-owned, veteran-owned, and Treasure Valley-based since day one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sewer camera inspection?
A sewer camera inspection uses a flexible, waterproof video camera that's inserted into the sewer line or drain system through an access point. The camera transmits real-time video to a monitor so a technician can visually assess the condition of the pipe and identify problems such as clogs, cracks, or tree root intrusion without excavation.
What are the signs I may need a sewer camera inspection?
Frequent clogs, slow drainage across multiple fixtures, unpleasant odors from drains, unexplained wet spots in the yard, or a clog that keeps returning after cleaning are all reasons to schedule an inspection. Catching these symptoms early can prevent a bigger, more disruptive repair later.
Can a sewer camera find a bellied or sagging section of pipe?
Yes. A belly is a low spot where the pipe has settled and traps water and debris, and it shows up clearly on camera as standing water that doesn't drain out of frame. It's a common finding in older Treasure Valley laterals where the ground has shifted over decades, and once we've located a belly we can usually address it with a trenchless spot repair rather than digging up the whole yard.
How does trenchless sewer repair work after a camera finds the problem?
Once the camera pinpoints the exact problem, common trenchless techniques include pipe bursting, which pulls a new pipe through while breaking apart the old one, and pipe lining, which inserts a flexible liner that cures in place inside the damaged pipe. Both fix or replace the line through one or two small access points rather than an open trench across the yard.
What can a sewer camera inspection reveal?
A camera can pinpoint the exact location of a clog or blockage, show cracks, breaks, or corrosion in the pipe, and give an overall read on the health of the line. That level of detail lets us recommend the right fix instead of guessing, whether that's a simple root cut or a full trenchless replacement.
How long does a sewer camera inspection take?
Most residential inspections are a single visit — running the camera down the line, locating and documenting any problem areas, and reviewing what we found with you before we leave.
Can the camera also find the exact location of the line for digging or landscaping?
Yes. Many camera heads carry a small transmitter that a locator wand can trace from the surface, so we can mark the exact path and depth of the line before you dig, plant, or build near it.
Does a heavily clogged line need to be cleared before a camera inspection?
Sometimes. If a line is packed with grease, sludge, or debris, a camera can't see past it. In those cases we'll run a drain cleaning or hydro jetting pass first to clear the line, then follow with the camera to confirm the pipe itself is sound.
Sewer Camera Inspection City by City
We run sewer camera inspections across the whole Treasure Valley and into Eastern Oregon: Boise, Caldwell, Eagle, Emmett, Fruitland, Garden City, Hidden Springs, Homedale, Kuna, Marsing, Meridian, Middleton, Mountain Home, Nampa, Nyssa, Ontario, Parma, Payette, Star, Vale, Weiser, Wilder.
If the camera finds a line that needs full replacement, see pipe bursting or our broader sewer line repair hub.
