CCTV Drain Surveys

We’re all familiar with regular plumbing services like installing a boiler or fixing a leak, but how much do you know about CCTV drain surveys?

A CCTV drain survey is one of the lesser-known parts of the plumbing world, but it can be super helpful for a variety of reasons.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at what a CCTV drain service is, how it works and why calling in the UKOOA plumbers to carry out your drain survey can be a really useful option for your business or home.

What is a CCTV drain survey?

A CCTV drain survey is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—a CCTV camera is inserted into drains so that our plumbers can take a look at what’s going on inside. 

Before carrying out a drain survey using CCTV, our team might use water to clean out the pipes first, which is a process known as ‘water jetting’. This is when high-pressure water is used to clear out materials like stones and rocks or debris from trees like roots and leaves. 

Water jetting is also used to remove waste like oil, grease, and fat deposits from pipes and drains. This makes it much easier for the CCTV camera to get a clear view of what’s going on in the drains without any obstructions.

Once the drains are cleared, there are a couple of cameras we can use to get a clear picture of the drain.

A push CCTV drain camera can be used for drains with a smaller diameter. This type of camera sits at the end of a flexible rod, which also contains LED lights to help light up those dark and dingy corners. 

A robotic crawler CCTV drain camera is used for larger pipes and contains some pretty impressive tech. These cameras have powerful LED lights and use wheels to move around the pipes.  

Robotic crawlers have articulated arms and swivelling heads with a camera that can zoom in on anything we want to get a closer look at. The images are then sent from the camera into our CCTV survey van, where the footage will be recorded and reviewed. 

What is a CCTV drain survey used for?

Whether you’re looking to buy a house or are in the process of planning a new build, there are a whole host of reasons why you might want to get a CCTV survey in the diary.

Pre-purchase surveys

A pre-purchase survey is something we can carry out to give you peace of mind before you buy a new property, as it can let you know if there are any issues with the drainage system. This includes things like cracked or damaged pipes, clogs, blockages, or even damage from tree roots. 

Being aware of these issues and how severe they are can allow potential buyers to either opt-out of buying the property, arrange for repairs, or simply rest easy knowing that everything is functioning properly in their new home. 

Pre-build surveys

A pre-build survey is a way in which we can check out the placement and quality of your drainage systems before you add an extension or new building to your property. They can also be carried out once a project is complete to make sure that everything is in good working order before it gets put to use.

If a pre-build survey isn’t carried out—aside from getting into trouble with the council—you could also end up building over existing pipework, or even sewage drains. This could lead to extensive plumbing issues with your new build.

Drainage mapping

Drainage mapping is where CCTV surveys are used to map where drains are placed and what condition they’re in. 

We can carry out drainage mapping for both commercial clients and homeowners. This can be an efficient way to show you where property boundaries lie, where any sewage, drainage or other piping has been placed, and who is responsible for what. It’s often used before carrying out building work to ensure that drains are placed in exactly the right spot.

Animal infestations

The worst nightmare for a business or a homeowner is some kind of animal infestation. If you’re facing an issue with rodents on your property, a CCTV drain survey can be instrumental in pinpointing exactly where the animals are entering your drains and finding their way onto your property.

Often, animals such as rats can be accessing the property via a single fault in the sewage or drainage pipes. When the fault is found, we can ensure the pipes are fixed up and protected from pesky rodents in the future.

How UKOOA can help you carry out a CCTV drain survey

Whether it’s a pre-build or pre-purchase survey, a drainage map, or an animal infestation, our experienced team of plumbers have dealt with it all before. 

We cover over 50 areas across London, and whether you’re a business or homeowner, you can rest assured that you’ll be in safe, professional hands. Our highly trained plumbing team only uses parts approved by the Water Regulations Approval Scheme, meaning everything we use reaches the highest of industry standards. 

We offer totally transparent pricing plans, and you’ll be provided with an itemised bill once the job’s done. 

To get in touch with us, just fill out our contact form for a no-obligation quote, email us at info@ukooa.co.uk, or call us on 0203 519 6605. We’re ready and waiting to hear from you!