When an inspection makes sense
A single clog is usually just a clog. Repeated backups in the basement, a main line that needs augering every year, or a floor drain that fills during heavy rain all suggest something structural in the pipe. Buyers of older houses also benefit, because the sewer lateral is out of sight and rarely mentioned in a general home inspection.
- Main drain backups more than once in a year.
- Roots coming back on the auger blade.
- Pre-1970 houses whose sewer still runs in clay tile or iron.
- Before finishing a basement or installing a backwater valve.
How the camera visit works
Our entry point is the basement cleanout, or a lifted toilet where no cleanout exists. The camera head is pushed on a stiff fibreglass rod, recording as it goes, with a footage counter so we know exactly how far each defect sits from the wall. A sonde in the camera head beeps up through the soil, so a handheld receiver on the grass can pinpoint where and how deep.
We watch for root intrusion at joints, offset or separated pipe sections, sags where water pools, scale inside cast iron, and the point where your lateral meets the municipal connection near the property line.
| What the camera shows | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Fine hair-like roots at a joint | Early intrusion; clearing and monitoring may be enough |
| Standing water across a section | A belly or sag that holds solids |
| Rough, flaking pipe wall | Corroded cast iron nearing the end of its life |
| Visible gap or offset | A separated joint, often from settling or roots |
The visit, in order
- 1
Open the basement cleanout and drain any water held behind the blockage.
- 2
Run the sectional cable toward the street, cutting roots or scale as it advances.
- 3
Send the camera through to record joints, offsets and cracks in the lateral.
- 4
Mark the depth and position of any break on the lawn before discussing repair.
What you receive
We talk through the footage with you on the screen, note distances and depths, and explain which issues are urgent and which are worth watching. Where a defect lies close to the property line, the City of Markham may need to be involved, since responsibility for the lateral can be shared; we will point you to the city's current guidance rather than guess.
Root problems are covered on our tree root sewer repair page, and routine clearing on main sewer line clearing.
Markham note: village-core houses tend to hide cast iron and galvanized behind plaster, while Cornell and Box Grove builds run PEX to a manifold. We ask the year your house was built so the right fittings ride along on the truck.
Straight from the phone log
Could the camera hurt an old pipe?
Not at all; its rounded head glides along. It is far less aggressive than an auger.
Can you inspect from a roof vent?
Rarely needed. A basement cleanout or a pulled toilet gives a straighter path into the main.
Ready to get it fixed?
One call, a clear explanation, and work finished tidily before we leave.