Sewer & Drain
Video Camera Inspection in Union County & Central NJ
Sewer and drain camera inspection to diagnose problems without digging. See exactly what is happening in your pipes.
A camera inspection lets you see the inside of your drain or sewer line instead of guessing at it. A waterproof camera on a flexible push cable travels through the pipe while the picture appears live on a monitor. It is useful when clogs keep returning, before deciding on a sewer repair, after a line is cleaned, or when buying a house. We walk you through what the footage shows and what, if anything, needs to be done about it.
Common problems and how we handle them
What can a sewer camera actually show?
The camera shows roots entering at joints, cracks and holes, joints that have shifted out of line, sections where the pipe has sagged and holds water, heavy grease or scale, and places where the pipe has partly or fully collapsed. It also reveals objects lodged in the line and spots where one pipe material changes to another, such as cast iron meeting PVC at an earlier repair. The distance from the access point to each finding is noted as the camera advances.
Should I have the sewer line inspected before buying a house?
It is worth considering, especially for an older home or one with large trees near the path of the line. A standard home inspection often does not include a look inside the main sewer line, and problems there are buried out of sight. You will need access arranged through the seller, plus a cleanout or toilet to work from. If the camera finds damage, you learn about it while you can still factor it into your decision.
Can the camera find where the problem is in my yard?
Many sewer cameras carry a small transmitter in the camera head that a handheld locator can pick up through the ground, which lets a technician mark the spot above a defect and estimate its depth. Ask when you call whether locating is part of your inspection. Even without it, knowing how far each finding sits from the access point narrows down where any digging would need to happen, so a repair can be limited to the right place instead of trenching along the whole run of the pipe.
Why look with a camera after a drain has already been cleared?
Clearing a clog tells you the line flows again, not why it stopped. A camera pass afterward shows whether the cause was a one-time blockage or something that will return, such as roots at a joint, a sag that collects waste or a crack. It also confirms the cleaning reached the full length of the line. That is often the difference between paying for another cleaning later and fixing the cause once.
How the job works
- Choose an entry point, typically a cleanout. In homes without one, pulling a toilet gives the camera a path into the line through the floor flange.
- When the line is holding water or backed up, it gets cleared first. Standing waste hides the pipe walls from the lens and can stop the camera from advancing.
- Push the camera through the line at a steady pace while watching the live picture, pausing at joints, material changes and defects.
- Where a finding may need work, record its distance from the access point, since that tells you where a repair would take place.
- Review the footage with you on the monitor, explain what each finding means, and separate what needs attention now from what is worth keeping an eye on.
- If cleaning or repair is recommended, put the price for that work in writing before any of it begins.
Cost of video camera inspection
What an inspection costs depends on how far the camera has to travel and what has to happen before it can see anything. A backed-up line has to be cleared first, and a run that reaches the street takes longer to work through than a short branch line. Pairing the inspection with cleaning also changes the total. We give you a written price before the camera goes in.
Why homeowners call Vanguard for video camera inspection
- Licensed and insured. We work under NJ Master Plumber license NJMPL 13344 and HVACR license 19HC00609600, and every job is done by our own technicians, never a subcontractor.
- Upfront pricing, free estimates on most jobs. You approve a written price before work begins. No surprise line items when the job is finished.
- 4.9 stars across 556+ Google reviews. Read what customers say.
- Answered 24/7. Our phone is answered around the clock, including holidays.
Related sewer and drain services
Areas we serve
We provide video camera inspection throughout Union, Middlesex, Somerset, and Essex counties, including:
Video Camera Inspection questions
Does every clogged drain need a camera inspection?
Not usually. A sink or tub that clogs once and then drains normally does not call for one. A camera makes sense when the main line backs up more than once, when roots come back on the cable, when an older sewer line has never been looked at, or before you spend money on excavation or relining. It replaces guessing with a clear picture of the pipe.
What can a camera inspection not tell me?
The camera sees the inside of the pipe only. It cannot show the soil around the line, how large a void may have formed outside a crack, or what lies past a full collapse it cannot get through. Standing water hides the bottom of a sagging section, and very fine hairline cracks can be hard to spot. We tell you when a finding is clear and when it is a judgment call.
Can a camera find a leak in my water pipes?
Not with a sewer camera. It is designed for the drainage side of your plumbing, meaning drain and sewer pipes, which are wide enough for the camera to travel through and are not under pressure. The supply lines that bring water into the house are smaller and pressurized, and leaks in them are tracked down with other methods. If you are seeing water where it should not be, describe what you notice when you call.
Will a camera inspection damage my pipes or require digging?
No digging is involved. The camera travels through the existing pipe from a cleanout or a toilet opening, and the push cable is made to flex around bends and fittings without harming the line. The only disturbance is access: opening a cleanout cap, or pulling and resetting a toilet when no cleanout is available.
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