Knowing the state of your sewer line can save you from expensive repairs in the future. It can also help you avoid buying a home with serious issues that require immediate repair.
A professional can conduct Sewer Inspection Los Angeles through your home’s sewer cleanout, vent stack, or by removing a toilet. They’ll choose a designated entry point and run the camera until they reach your public sewer line.
The plumbing system in your home delivers fresh water to various points and removes sewage, so it’s important that this complicated network of pipes stays functional and free of damage. One of the best ways to ensure this is by scheduling regular sewer line inspections. During these inspections, a plumber uses a small camera to examine the condition of your pipes and identify any issues that need to be addressed.
In the past, pipe inspections were conducted by physically entering the pipes and manually inspecting each section. This method was time-consuming and labor-intensive, but new technology has made it possible for inspectors to get a closer look at the conditions inside pipes without having to actually enter them. GPRS’s state-of-the-art pipe camera can travel down the length of your pipeline to record a high-quality video that provides a detailed, accurate assessment of your pipes’ condition.
A sewer inspection camera can also help you find the source of any clogs or backups. For example, if your toilets frequently clog, this may be due to paper towels being flushed down the drain or excess grease. With a camera, your Jones Services plumber can determine exactly what’s causing the issue and then recommend an effective solution.
Another potential problem that can be identified with a camera inspection is a broken or cracked pipe. Whether this is caused by shifting soil or simply by age and wear, a break in your sewer line can cause sewage to back up into your home and create significant damage. By identifying the location of the break, your plumber can take the necessary steps to repair it before it worsens.
Homeowners often request a sewer inspection before selling their home, as this will give them an idea of the state of the plumbing system and any issues that need to be addressed. Additionally, homeowners who are planning on adding an additional bathroom or kitchen may also need a sewer inspection before the project begins to make sure their current plumbing system can handle the added strain.
While it’s common for homes to have a few minor clogs here and there, over time these can add up and result in major blockages. A camera inspection can identify these problems early on so you can address them before they become a bigger problem.
During a camera inspection, your plumbing professional will establish an access point and then use a special device to push the camera down your pipe. As the camera moves through your pipe, it will capture a live feed that you can view on a monitor. Your plumber can then highlight any areas of concern, such as a blockage or an area of corrosion, and can even show you the cause of the problem (such as tree roots). Once the inspection is complete, your plumber will retrieve the camera using a similar process to inserting it.
Sonar Inspection
Just because your home’s toilets flush and the sink drains doesn’t mean that your sewer lines are in perfect condition. In fact, your pipes could be damaged or clogged without you even knowing it. That’s why a professional plumber should always run a sewer scope inspection before you buy or sell your property. The inspector can identify damage or potential issues, and you can work on a plan for repairs. A sewer scope also allows you to avoid costly and invasive excavation methods.
In addition to a CCTV camera, many professionals use sonar technology during inspections to better understand what they’re seeing in the pipe. Sonar, which stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging, works by sending sound waves into the pipeline. These waves bounce off of the interior surface of the pipe, and the resulting reflections provide valuable information about the pipe’s condition. The information gathered by sonar can help the plumber spot issues such as blockages, cracks, and other problems.
A common problem that causes sewer backups is tree roots. Roots grow around and into the openings of sewer pipes, creating clogs and sometimes breaking or cracking the pipes as they move. Having large trees in the yard is another common cause of sewer line problems. During a sewer inspection, the inspector can see how far the roots have grown into the pipes and recommend solutions like root removal or sewer line replacement.
During a sonar inspection, the plumber will also note any other conditions that need to be addressed. This can include offsets in the pipe, lateral connections that aren’t connected to the main sewer line, and other structural issues. The inspector will then use this data to prepare a report, which they will provide to you after the inspection is complete.
All of this information is collected in real-time and displayed on a screen in the field. It’s important that the technician keeps a calm, careful approach when using the sonar. This will not only prevent tether entanglements (which are typically only a concern near complex structures, like pumps) but also ensure that the sonar produces clearer footage.
The information gathered by these technologies can be overwhelming, but professional software can help organize and visualize the data in an easy-to-read format. This can help the plumber determine the best course of action for repair or maintenance, and it can also be used to create an effective long-term asset management plan.
The combined results of the PPR, LiDAR, and sonar can provide a comprehensive picture of your sewer system’s health. These non-invasive technologies are the key to identifying and fixing problems before they become more serious. A good plumber can recommend the best options for you and your family’s safety and comfort.
LIDAR Inspection
Sewer systems throughout the world are aging and it’s important to identify areas of concern to plan for future repairs. To do this, cities regularly conduct sewer inspections to collect visual data on the condition of pipes within a wastewater system. While the most common methods for conducting sewer inspections involve a caged drone with a camera or sonar, other methods are being explored to increase accuracy and reduce costs. One such method is to use LiDAR, which uses laser technology to measure ranges and create 3D models. This information can be used to identify problems such as cracks, holes, partial collapses, infiltration, and root ingress.
Currently, the majority of inspections are conducted by trained professionals who manually operate custom-built tethered inspection vehicles that are inserted from a maintenance hole into a pipe. As the vehicle drives along a pipe, the inspector annotates the conditions of the pipe by inspecting the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV)-footage streamed from the inspection vehicle. This process is labor intensive and is time consuming. Furthermore, there is a significant risk that the inspector could get their tether stuck in the pipe as they navigate through tight spaces.
To address these limitations, researchers have been experimenting with the use of automated robots to perform inspections. Most of these robots utilize two-view stereo matching techniques to reconstruct a 3D representation of the environment. However, these techniques are computationally expensive and can’t be readily accommodated on a space and energy constrained inspection vehicle.
Other techniques for automating the process involve using sensors to detect objects and calculating depth information from a 3D point cloud. For example, Huynh et al. [1] compared the performance of a Realsense-On and a pico flexx camera in the context of a sewer inspection. The results show that the Realsense-On camera provides significantly more valid depth points and a higher density of points than the pico flexx camera.
Another method of obtaining 3D point clouds is to use laser scanners, which produce a high-resolution map of the environment. These laser-based methods can also be augmented with cameras to provide accurate and complete inspection data. For example, the FARO LS 840 HE laser scanner was combined with a camera to provide a rough 3D model of a pipe’s surface and a depth map that was used to identify cracks in the pipe. The combination of sensors was then used to generate a video showing the exact location of each defect and their severity. By using this method, workers can avoid unnecessary excavations and reduce costs by identifying only the areas of concern. This allows the city to focus its resources on repairs that will have a high impact. This approach can save time and money, while also improving worker safety. This can be especially important in confined spaces where the presence of hazardous gasses such as hydrogen sulfide may pose serious health and safety risks.
