The Future of Plumbing Inspections: A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing and Using Drain Cameras

We may not always be aware of the importance of plumbing in our homes, but things change as soon as something malfunctions with the pipes. Taking into account how significant they are for the transmission and flow of fluids, bringing clean water into our abodes, making utilities work properly, and carrying the wastewater out, we shouldn’t take their maintenance and proper function lightly.

Why go through the hard way of finding out you have an issue with the pipes after some serious damage that requires costly changes and repairs, when you can save yourself the trouble and guesswork with the efficient and precise drain cameras that are everything you could want in testing equipment? They make for smooth and non-invasive solutions that are much more hassle-free and affordable at that, preventing serious pipe problems from occurring or escalating. In this regard, they’re as essential as thermal imaging cameras.

What Does a Drain Inspection Camera Do?

Also known as a sewer camera, it’s a device created to facilitate pipe inspection to make the job of plumbers easier and more efficient. Due to the specifics of the inspection, the device consists of a rod that is flexible and comes with a high-resolution camera attached to the end. Rods are available in different sizes, so you can choose based on what it is you require.

Mind you, this isn’t your typical camera, as it’s chosen for its waterproofing properties and rating of IP68, made up of high-grade components, stainless-steel construction, and sensors for ultimate video and imaging even in dark underground areas. Some also have auto-iris technology that enables them to automatically adjust the aperture to different lighting conditions.

The inspection is carried out by pushing the rod, thus moving the camera through the pipes to get a better view of the inside of the plumbing system, including in hard-to-reach spots. This way, there’s an immediate transmission of footage back to the plumber on the surface, thanks to the use of an LCD colour monitor that’s also part of the inspection device.

In the past, plumbers had to do some digging to be able to trace, inspect or treat a problem, which ended up in damages to walls, structures, and the pipe system itself. All of which generated an additional cost to the repair work and possible water damage to furnishings. Nowadays, even if there isn’t anything apparent that could point to an existing drainage hitch, the incredible drain cameras can take away all the guesswork for you.

They can also show you if you’re on the path to some issues, be it from corrosion, blockages, or even leaks or structural faults within the pipe system with minimal property disruption. It’s never been easier to nip a plumbing problem in the bud without tearing down walls or digging up holes in the ground. Camera head locators present in the design make it possible and easy to pinpoint the position and depth of the camera within the drainage system, making inspection matters much more precise.

Moreover, most of the inspection camera options you can find at the stores and retailers now come with advanced features such as USB and Wi-Fi connectivity. This allows you to store important data that you can further use to analyse or inspect a certain underlying issue or use for future comparison after several inspections.

How to Choose a Drain Inspection Camera?

As there’s no question there are various designs of sewer cameras from different brands on the market, knowing what it is you’re looking for to make the most of inspection can certainly be of help in simplifying the shopping process. To make that possible, focus on important factors, such as:

Pipe Size

To avoid the costly mistake of getting the wrong camera that’s bigger than the pipe you’re inspecting, be aware of the size of the pipe first and foremost to determine the size of the rod and the head of the camera you require. There’s no doubt large cameras provide a really good and clear view, but this may not be of any use to you if they’re just too big for the plumbing system you have in your property.

Pipe Depth

Much like the size, the depth is an indicator of how long your rod should be to make it to the end of the pipe and offer you a view of even the furthest points of the system. Some pipes may be quite shallow, while others can go many feet deep. Going too far or too shallow can put you in danger and damage your equipment, with greater depth also requiring more powerful drainage solutions.

Rod Flexibility

Although rods are chosen for their flexibility for this type of camera design, you need to be aware of how flexible they exactly are prior to the purchase to have the certainty you’d be able to navigate them through the pipe bends and turns.

Camera Resolution

Same as when choosing a camera for the sake of photography, resolution plays an important role in pipe inspection too, so you ought to pay attention to this factor when choosing your ideal design. A higher resolution is of help, but so are some additional features such as tilting and zooming. Just be aware you may have to pay for these extras.

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