Time passes as surely as night follows day. Drains, like everything else, age over time and things can get worse. A drain is obviously designed to go underground, clearly not easy to see inside it, and the only way to really see what is actually going on inside is to use CCTV. Deterioration of the drain can come from lots of different sources. Ground movement, root intrusions and poor construction can cause massive problems
Clearly the fact that a drain runs underground means that you cannot see what is going on inside it. You really do need to know what is going on inside the drain or you could end up solving the wrong problem. Knowing as opposed to guessing means that you get the best possible chance of the best and cheapest solution to your drainage problem
Once you know that you have a drainage problem, there are a couple of ways that you can diagnose the problem. Using CCTV, there are two systems available to you. These are the push rod and also available is the crawler system. The push rod and the crawler system are both available through reputable drainage specialist- better perhaps to know that they are available so you can ask your drainage contractor which they carry. They should carry both systems
For drainage systems and lines of over 150mm, the crawler system is the best one to use. For smaller drains (less that 150mm diameter), the push rod system is used. Full and comprehensive reports can be produced through using these systems as they show exactly what is the condition of the underground drains
The problems to look out for can stem from collapsed pipes , sumps in the line to tree roots etc, all of which can cause blockages. All surveys are written up and assessed on site then burned onto DVD and handed over to the customer with recommendations to fix the problems. If you want a CD or .mp3 as well then that will not be a problem, most companies will not do this for you though- check them out thoroughly
CCTV Surveys are also used for Build Over Surveys ( for example when building an extension on your home) or for a Homebuyers Report ( to assess the quality of the drainage in a home you intend to buy ). Avoid problems in the future by commissioning a build over survey first rather than last
About the author: Lee Davidson owns a Cardiff drain company. If you are check outing a house extension, check out a Cardiff drain cleaning CCTV report
