Sewer lines never ask for attention on a good day. They go quiet for years, then pick the worst moment to fail: move-in weekend, after a heavy rain, or in the middle of a holiday event. Property managers know the drill. When wastewater backs up or odors bloom, the clock starts ticking. A well-run operation has a tested process for getting eyes on the problem quickly, documenting what they see, and making a sound decision. That is where a sewer camera inspection earns its keep.
This checklist is built from practical experience across multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial portfolios. It aims to help you standardize how you scope lines, interpret results, and communicate with owners, tenants, and insurers. Use it as a baseline you can adapt to your buildings, budgets, and local codes.
What a sewer camera inspection actually tells you
A Sewer Camera Inspection, sometimes called a Drain Camera Inspection, does one thing very well: it shows you the inside of a pipe in real time so you can identify defects, obstructions, and connections. A modern Sewer Camera has a flexible push rod or a crawler, a high-resolution head with adjustable lighting, and a transmitter that works with a locator on the surface. Some units add self-leveling heads, distance counters, and tilt sensors. The value is not the gadget; it is the evidence. You get date-stamped video, footage counters that mark where a defect sits relative to the access point, and often still images that help secure approvals.
Video alone will not tell you everything. Cameras do not measure grade with survey precision, they can overexpose in standing water, and they can mislead you on pipe size when debris narrows the view. Readings need context. Pair visual findings with site history, tenant reports, and sometimes a follow-up test, like smoke testing for illicit connections or a flow test after cleaning.
When to schedule inspections before you get burned
Routine scoping sounds like a luxury until you price a late-night extraction, drywall removal, and remediation in a Class B building with active leases. Across portfolios, three patterns justify putting the Drain Camera on the schedule, not just on the truck.
First, due diligence. Any acquisition with cast iron older than 1980, vitrified clay, Orangeburg, or unknown laterals deserves a full visual scope from building cleanouts to the city tap. The price of a Sewer Camera Inspection is minor compared to a six-figure dig-and-replace after close.
Second, recurring service calls. If you have had two or more drain clearings on the same line within a year, stop snaking blind. Many “tree root” calls are actually offsets, calcified scale, or a settled section holding grease and paper. A camera confirms the physical cause so you can choose between targeted repair and stepped-up maintenance.
Third, trigger events. New food tenants, fitness centers with heavy shower use, or an uptick in move-ins with “flushable” wipes all change load profiles. Heavy rains that coincide with backups may signal infiltration or a cross-connection, not just tenant behavior. After any major plumbing renovation, scope the line. A misplaced coupling or left-behind rag happens more often than anyone admits.
Access points and preparation that keep the job clean
Access drives cost and clarity. Professionals want to scope from a proper cleanout near the building, step down through branch cleanouts, and finish at the main lateral out to the right-of-way. In older buildings, cleanouts are sometimes hidden behind drywall or sealed shut with paint. That is not just inconvenient, it can be a code violation. If you have a maintenance program, add “verify cleanout accessibility and labeling” to annual checks.
Before the crew arrives, secure a few basics. Confirm water service is active in the lines to help float debris and keep the camera lens clean. Notify tenants whose bathrooms or kitchens might be temporarily offline. If the inspection is prompted by a clog, decide whether to jet ahead of the scope. A light pre-jet, 1,500 to 2,500 psi on smaller lines, will improve visibility and clear loose buildup without blasting fragile clay. On brittle cast or clay, go gentle until you know the condition.
For larger sites with traffic or landscaping, mark utility paths and note any known repairs. If you scoped a line two years ago, have sewer camera for inspection that report ready. Comparing the “then and now” is one of the fastest ways to separate normal wear from an active failure.
The inspection workflow that avoids do-overs
Experienced techs follow a rhythm that saves time and rework. The sequence matters, not just for clarity but for your files.
Start with a walk-through. Confirm the property layout, locate all available cleanouts, and review any recent plumbing work. A five-minute conversation with on-site maintenance often surfaces the real problem line faster than a floor plan does.
Scope downstream first. Push from the highest elevation toward the main. If the building has stack cleanouts, move from fixture groups to the building drain, then to the building sewer. Watching flow direction helps you interpret debris and stains.
Record continuously, with on-screen titling that includes property name, line designation, starting point, date, and time. Pause only to wipe the lens or get past a joint. Make sure the footage counter is zeroed at the cleanout lip. When you hit a defect, call it out verbally, mark the distance, and capture a still image if the system allows it.
Locate from the surface. When you see a defect worth marking, activate the camera head’s transmitter. A surface locator identifies the depth and horizontal position so you can paint the pavement or mark the floor. Documentation should include depth within a tenth of a foot or to the nearest inch. That depth estimate will drive your repair budget.
If water obscures the view, do not guess. Back out, try a quick flush from an upstream fixture, or consider a measured jet to lower the waterline. Persistent standing water over more than one pipe diameter often signals belly formation, but you want to view the entry and exit points to scope its length.
Finish with a pullback review. As you retract the camera, defects look different. Grease smears read more clearly on the way back, and subtle cracks can catch light differently. Call out any distance discrepancies between push and pull.
What to demand in the final deliverables
A Drain Camera Inspection is not just a video file. For property management, the real value is a set of documents that anyone can understand in six months when memories fade.
At a minimum, you want the full video file labeled by line, a written report with a defect log in the order discovered, still images of each defect with distances, and a plan or sketch showing the line path and marked repair spots. For multi-building sites, assign consistent line IDs. If the vendor uses PACP or a similar coding system, keep that structure. If they do not, insist on plain-language descriptions that specify pipe size, material, approximate age if known, and each defect’s length, starting and ending footage.
Cross-check totals. If they report a 110-foot run on a six-inch clay line and the locator depth at the city main is eight feet, those numbers should align with your site’s history and as-builts. Small variances happen, but big mismatches are a red flag.
How to read common findings without getting upsold
Cameras bring clarity, but interpretations can vary. Knowing how typical issues look and what they really mean allows you to push back on generic recommendations.
Grease and biofilm. A matte, brownish coat along the bottom third of the pipe, sometimes with cottony strands, points to FOG accumulation. If the pipe structure underneath looks round and joints tight, a managed jetting schedule and tenant education make more sense than replacement. In mixed-use buildings with restaurants, expect quarterly to semiannual jetting on branches and semiannual on building drains. Document that schedule so future scope videos tell a story of compliance.
Roots. Feathery intrusions at joints in clay or transitions show up as fine tendrils at first, then dense mats. Spot repairs with a cleanout installed just upstream are often smarter than full-line replacement, especially if intrusions are localized. If multiple joints show roots across a long run, evaluate trenchless approaches like cured-in-place pipe. Outdoor laterals with poor soil access tilt the decision toward trenchless methods, while shallow lines under turf stay economical for open trench.
Offsets and separations. A small step at a joint, where the upstream pipe lip is slightly higher, can pass solids if flow is steady. An offset greater than roughly one quarter of the pipe diameter, especially if edges are sharp, will snag wipes and paper. Watch water behavior at the offset; if it pools upstream, you have a chronic clog point. Plan a repair where offsets cluster, not for isolated minor steps that have tolerated decades of service.
Belly or sag. Standing water that persists after flow ends is the giveaway. Measure its length on the counter and confirm with the locator. A three-foot belly in a six-inch line might be manageable with cleaning and usage guidance, while a twenty-foot belly at eight feet deep will keep delivering callbacks until corrected. Pair operational fixes, like changing fixtures’ flush volumes or installing strainers, with a plan to address the grade in a capital cycle.
Scale and tuberculation. Older cast iron often shows rough, flaking deposits, narrowing the diameter. Be cautious with aggressive jetting. Start with descaling options like chain flails or picote tools in experienced hands. If descaling reveals thin pipe walls or holes, staged replacement becomes the safer choice. Take before-and-after stills so owners see the gain in hydraulic capacity.
Foreign objects. Screws, grout chunks, and construction debris appear more often after renovations. If you see a cloth, plastic, or a wye stubbed with tape, stop and confer. Removing a lodged object early can prevent a collapse.
Coordinating Sewer Camera work in occupied buildings
Tenants notice plumbers. You can reduce disruption and complaints by tightening the logistics.
Schedule scoping mid-morning or early afternoon, when water use dips. Post notices 24 hours ahead for any units where technicians need access. Keep a staff member available to shuttle keys and answer questions. If you expect to run water to test flow, choose fixtures that will not overflow into sensitive areas. For retail spaces, plan around operating hours and protect floors. A small detail, like bringing floor savers and corner guards, prevents unnecessary friction.
When the inspection is triggered by a backup, decide in advance what “good enough for tonight” looks like. If a jet clears the blockage and the video shows a fix required next week, document the interim fix in writing with a service ticket number and photos. Tenants appreciate clarity more than promises. Owners appreciate a timeline and a price range.
Cost ranges and how to budget realistically
Prices vary by market, building complexity, and urgency. Still, having ballpark figures helps frame conversations.
For a standard Sewer Camera scope of a single lateral and a couple of branches, expect a range from a few hundred dollars for a straightforward residential-scale line to low four figures for a larger building with multiple access points and locates. Add after-hours premiums if you need a night or weekend response. Jetting paired with scoping can double the ticket, depending on line length and severity.
Repairs swing widely. A localized dig-and-repair on a shallow six-inch clay line near the foundation might land in the low thousands, while a trenchless cured-in-place lining of a 100-foot lateral at depth can reach five figures. Urban cores with traffic control, sidewalk restoration, and permitting add substantial soft costs. Plan contingencies of 15 to 25 percent on any initial estimate because underground surprises are common.
For recurring maintenance, line items that rarely draw debate include semiannual jetting for grease-heavy lines, annual scoping for older cast iron stacks, and post-renovation scopes in any unit where plumbing was touched. Roll these into operating budgets, not just capital, so you are never choosing between a scope and a security deposit refund.
Checklists you can hand to vendors and staff
Two short checklists streamline the process. Keep them laminated on clipboards or saved in your work order system.
Pre-inspection checklist for staff:
- Confirm cleanout locations are accessible and labeled, including size and direction. Verify tenant notifications and access arrangements for affected units. Ensure water service is available and safe to run through target fixtures. Retrieve prior inspection reports, as-builts, and any recent repair documentation. Mark site constraints: traffic, landscaping, slab thickness, permit needs.
Vendor deliverables checklist:
- Full recorded video per line with on-screen titles and footage counters. Written defect log with distances, pipe material and size, and recommended actions. Still images of each defect, labeled with location and depth from surface locates. Site sketch or plan marking line paths and defect locations with depths. Clear estimate options that differentiate immediate safety needs from deferred work.
Documentation that protects you with owners, cities, and insurers
When a line fails and damages units, you will answer to three audiences. Owners will ask what you knew and when. Cities will ask about compliance with backflow devices, cleanouts, and permits. Insurers will ask for proof of maintenance and evidence that the failure was sudden, not progressive.
Build a folder for each line and keep it current. Store service tickets, photos, videos, and repair invoices. Tag them by unit stack and by building sewer. Label files with dates and line IDs consistently. After you mark defects in the field, take photos of the painted marks and include measurements. If a repair is deferred, note the reason, the monitoring plan, and a review date. These small habits turn hard days into manageable ones.
If you run grease interceptors or lint traps, log pump dates and volumes. A camera will not show upstream compliance, but an adjuster will ask for it if a backup reaches common areas. Likewise, keep records of tenant notices about what not to flush, and note violations if they contribute to clogs. That paper trail supports cost recovery where leases allow it.
Choosing the right vendor without paying for flash
Good equipment helps, but skill matters more. When screening providers for Sewer Camera work, ask about technician tenure, not just company years. Look for teams that speak comfortably about pipe materials, code requirements, and repair methods, not just gadgets. A vendor who explains when a Drain Camera finding does not require immediate action is worth keeping.
Ask how they handle tricky access. For long laterals, do they run from both ends when possible to ensure full coverage? For vertical stacks, do they have small-diameter cameras that can navigate tight bends? Do they carry multiple locators and spare heads so a single failure does not cancel your day?
Finally, insist on clarity in pricing. Scope-only, scope with light jetting, heavy jetting, and emergency response should be separate line items. If they recommend lining or replacement, ask for a second opinion from a firm that does not perform trenchless work, or vice versa. The goal is not to slow the process; it is to verify that the plan fits the problem.
Edge cases where judgment matters
Not every finding fits a textbook remedy. A few scenarios come up often in management portfolios.
Shared laterals in older neighborhoods complicate responsibility. If two properties tie into a common line before the city main, coordinate scoping with neighbors and the municipality. Your camera can confirm the junction and clarify who pays for what. Draw the connection and include distances to public right-of-way.
Basement fixtures below street grade can backflow during heavy rain even if your building’s lines are sound. Cameras may show clean pipes while floors still flood. The fix might be a properly sized backwater valve and a review of sump pump capacity, not pipe replacement.
Historic buildings with limited access and brittle materials demand a lighter touch. Pushing a rigid camera through a 90-year-old cast iron bend can cause more harm than good. Use smaller heads, go slowly, and accept partial views rather than forcing the run. If your report includes incomplete footage, be explicit about why.
New construction surprises also happen. A brand-new lateral can have a dipped section from trench settlement. Document it early, during warranty periods, with clear distances and depths. Developers respond better to precise field marks than to general complaints of slow drains.
Turning inspection results into a maintenance plan
The biggest mistake after a Sewer Camera Inspection is filing the report and waiting for the next emergency. Use the findings to set a cadence and define thresholds.
If grease accumulation recurs but structure is sound, schedule jetting and create a policy for restaurant tenants that includes interceptor maintenance and staff training. Re-scope after two cycles to confirm the plan works.
If roots intrude at one joint, log it and budget a spot repair. If they appear at multiple joints in clay, build a multi-year lining plan by segment. Start with the worst performing sections and tie repairs to lease turnovers or low-occupancy periods.
If scale narrows cast iron stacks, schedule descaling by stack, then add an annual camera quick check at common cleanouts to catch early return. Track flow complaints by unit to see if one stack deserves priority.
If a belly is manageable, define “manageable.” For example, no more than one service call per quarter on that line, no full interruptions longer than two hours, and no backups into occupied units. If you exceed those metrics, elevate the repair.
A final word on communication
Tenants do not care about pipe material codes. Owners do not want a dissertation on jet nozzle angles. Both want a clear plan, reasonable costs, and proof that you are acting timing for drain camera use in their interest. A disciplined Sewer Camera process delivers exactly that. It shows rather than tells. It gives you leverage with vendors, clarity with cities, and credibility with insurers.
When you build this into your operations, you shift from reacting to plumbing failures to managing a known asset with known risks. The equipment might be a Drain Camera, but the real tool is your process. Keep it sharp, keep it documented, and keep it humane for the people living and working above those lines.