You may be surprised to learn that CCTV (which stands for Closed-Circuit Television) plays a vital role in drain surveys. CCTV cameras are most commonly associated with above-ground surveillance systems; they help to ensure car parks, shopping centres, banks, etc. are safe and secure. But they’re also well suited to examining underground pipe networks that would be difficult or dangerous for people to access themselves. After all, a major advantage of CCTV technology is that it enables you to observe – or survey – a particular environment from a distance.
You’ll see cutting-edge CCTV drain cameras and related equipment in action when you book a CCTV drain survey with the Mega-Rod Bath and Bristol drainage experts. Carrying out CCTV drain surveys is the most effective way to assess the condition of commercial and domestic properties’ drainage systems, as well as rapidly locate and identify drain blockages or other problems.
CCTV is ideal for viewing enclosed spaces, as Designing Buildings makes clear. A CCTV drainage survey involves placing a compact, remote-controlled CCTV camera inside your drains – and this device is more powerful than its small size might lead you to expect. CCTV technology has come on in leaps and bounds during recent years. The latest CCTV drain inspection cameras are far more advanced than the previous generation of CCTV equipment, which was only able to produce grainy, black-and-white footage.
The high-tech CCTV cameras we use provide clear, high-quality, colour videos of your drains even if they’re particularly deep underground. These waterproof drain inspection cameras are attached to flexible rods and mounted on wheels (you can see an example on our CCTV drain surveys service page). In the drainage industry they’re referred to as crawler cameras because they crawl through drains of different diameters with ease. Thanks to their LED ‘headlights’, the cameras illuminate each pipe as they go, so our drainage experts can always see exactly what’s happening.
During CCTV drainage surveys, we control the camera’s movements, enabling us to perform comprehensive examinations of the pipework. Drain inspection cameras can pan, rotate and zoom in, so we can assess your drainage system from any angle and in detail. Nothing remains hidden, and photos can be taken of significant findings.
We review the CCTV footage in real-time on a monitor. After the CCTV drain survey is complete, recordings of that footage help us to produce a clear, helpful report. CCTV drain survey reports typically include useful information about your drainage system, plus images of any issues requiring further investigation (possibly in the form of a sonde survey, which can use sonar technology to pinpoint a drain’s location, for instance) or corrective action. We outline our findings then discuss potential next steps, i.e. how we can resolve any drainage problems for you.
Perhaps you’ve noticed signs of blocked drains, such as unpleasant smells and slow-draining sinks. With our CCTV technology, we can quickly locate the source of the problem and decide how best to unblock your drains.
A CCTV drain inspection can also be invaluable if you want to give your drainage system a thorough ‘health check’ and nip any issues in the bud. This is something we suggest property owners do regularly – annually, say. CCTV drain surveys are also a sensible course of action when you’re selling or buying a house. Plus, they’re essential before building over or close to drainage systems or after installing new ones.
A CCTV drain survey can reveal a range of issues:
If your drains are checked regularly, you can prevent problems taking hold and causing serious, costly damage. CCTV drain surveys can therefore save you money and reduce stress in the long run.
A CCTV drainage survey can have numerous benefits. The process is thorough yet causes minimal disruption and requires no digging. The footage gathered enables a drain specialist such as Mega-Rod to examine your drainage system closely, identify any problems (whether they’re just beginning or are long-standing issues), and decide how best to resolve them.
With over 40 years experience of in drain maintenance, we have the knowledge, skills and equipment required to conduct CCTV drain surveys for the owners of houses, apartment blocks, offices, supermarkets and more.
For a first-class CCTV drain survey in Bath, Bristol or the surrounding area, contact Mega-Rod today.
