04:04 AM | YES! WE ARE CURRENTLY OPEN

phone-callCall Uscalendar_month-wBook OnlineMenuMenu

What Is CCTV & Why Is It Recommended

What Is CCTV & Why Is It Recommended

Why Do Plumbers Recommend CCTV Pipe Inspection?

When it comes to plumbing, CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) Pipe Inspections refers to the process of inserting a small camera fitted to a cable into a pipe or drain to inspect a suspected issue.

CCTV Pipe Inspections are incredibly valuable for plumbers as they are a fast and safe way to investigate your pipes without evacuating them or disturbing them — which means less mess, less time, and less money spent on guesswork.

CCTV Pipe Inspections can also be carried out when the plumbing issue is already identified, as a way to see how far-reaching the issue is, what else it’s affecting, and how much of your pipe system will need to be dug up or replaced.

Once the plumbing camera inspection is complete, plumbers will provide you with a detailed report and video footage of any problems uncovered. Based on the footage, our Sydney plumbers can recommend specific drain cleaning services or blocked sewerage repairs.

Call Now — 0420 102 394
$0 Call-Out Fee — Free CCTV Inspection
Book a CCTV Inspection
Save $50 When You Book Online
What Is CCTV & Why Is It Recommended
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
When A Plumber Will Recommend CCTV

The main reason a licensed plumber will need to carry out a CCTV investigation is when you have a constant blocked drain, or a recurring sewer or stormwater blockage. It’s also worth investigating if water is backing up, smelling, or gurgling in your drains or pipes.

A CCTV investigation will typically reveal one of three things:

  • A broken or cracked pipe
  • A pipe that is damaged in some way (sagging or collapsed)
  • Blockages from tree roots or other debris

So next time you need a licensed plumber to inspect a potential blockage, ask about a CCTV Pipe Inspection — you’ll save your home and garden from any unnecessary pipe and drain excavations.

The Benefits of CCTV Pipe Inspection

Before CCTV Cameras
Guesswork & Excavation

The nature and extent of damage to underground drain pipes relied largely on guesswork, or extensive excavation that disrupted gardens, driveways and floors.

With CCTV Cameras
Diagnose & Pinpoint

We can quickly diagnose the cause of blocked drains in Sydney and accurately pinpoint the exact location of the blockage — with no digging required to find the problem.

We can offer professional advice based on video evidence, allowing us to clear blocked drains in a prompt and reliable manner. CCTV sewer cameras also let us identify potential future problems — early intervention can save you significant money down the track.

How Does a Plumbing Camera Inspection Work?

Every CCTV inspection follows the same three-step process, from camera insertion to recommended solution.

Step 1 of 3
1

Determine The Best Access Point

Once the plumber arrives at your property, they’ll determine the best access point to insert the camera using a flexible rod. Not all plumbers invest in this technology — many sub-contract this work out to specialist drain plumbers, so it’s best to call a professional drain plumber who owns a range of plumbing cameras suitable for different uses.

Step 2 of 3
2

Real-Time High-Resolution Footage

The camera transmits real-time, high-resolution video footage back to a monitor where the plumber can assess the issue. The footage is normally recorded and given to you so you have a record of any issues — useful for your own files or for any insurance documentation you may need later.

Step 3 of 3
3

Discuss Findings & Recommend Solutions

Based on the video evidence, the plumber will discuss any issues found inside the pipes and recommend the best solution. The most suitable repairs depend entirely on what problems are uncovered. In many instances, a blocked drain can be cleared with high-pressure drain cleaning using a jet blaster machine. If the pipes are damaged, it may be necessary to excavate the line partially or in full.

CCTV Pipe Inspection: Sewer Pipes

Plumbing cameras come in different sizes and have different applications. One of the most common kinds of plumbing cameras is a sewer pipe camera. A sewer camera captures an ocular view of the inside of the sewer line.

It can reveal problems inside the lines such as clogs, blockages, tree roots, cracks, and damaged pipes. Accurate diagnosis of sewer problems means the most suitable, cost-effective solution can be offered with minimal digging and disruption.

Common Sewer Line Problems

🌲

Tree Root Infiltration

A common issue because roots are attracted to the moisture and minerals inside the line. Tree roots access pipes through loose joints or hairline cracks — particularly problematic for homes with older plumbing made from terracotta or metal. Once inside, roots can block the line or cause extensive damage as they continue to grow.

Sagging, Bellies & Collapse

Your main sewer line is underground, so as the earth and soil shifts over time the sewer pipe can sag, belly, or even collapse entirely. Sewer inspection cameras can determine whether the sewer pipes are damaged or misaligned — information that’s impossible to gather any other way without excavation.

🚫

Clogs & Blockages

All the plumbing fixtures in your home (showers, sinks, toilets) connect to the same main sewer line. When the sewer gets blocked, it’s normally due to a combination of foreign items in the pipes — grease, wet-wipes, sanitary items. A sewer camera inspection determines the cause and exact location of the blockage.

Stormwater Camera Inspection

🌧 Stormwater-Specific Issues

The stormwater pipes on your property are also located underground — like sewer pipes, they’re susceptible to sagging, damage, and tree root intrusion. The stormwater drain catches rain run-off from the roof, downpipes, and yard, which means blocked stormwater drains are often caused by sticks, garden waste, leaves, and stormwater pollution. A stormwater inspection using a plumbing camera can quickly reveal issues with your stormwater pipes.

CCTV Pipe Inspection in Sydney — How We Use It

At Proximity Plumbing, a CCTV pipe inspection is the mandatory first step in every pipe relining and sewer rehabilitation project we undertake across Sydney. We never quote blind — the camera goes in before any price comes out.

Our CCTV inspections use high-definition cameras that travel through your pipes, providing real-time footage of the pipe interior. This allows us to accurately identify the type of damage present — whether it’s tree root intrusion, corrosion, cracks, joint displacement, or a full collapse — and determine exactly where the damage starts and ends.

Why Sydney Properties Need CCTV Especially

Sydney’s pipe materials and ages vary dramatically across the city — the camera shows us what we’re actually dealing with so we can recommend the right solution.

Eastern Suburbs homes
80-year-old cast iron sewer linesOften corroded, with internal scale buildup that needs clearing before relining.
Western Sydney developments
Newer PVC, ground-shiftedOften suffering joint displacement from soil movement rather than corrosion.

From the camera footage we can recommend the right solution — whether that’s pipe relining, patch repair, or in some cases targeted excavation. As part of our pipe relining Sydney process, the CCTV inspection is always step one.

What You Get From Our CCTV Inspection

📹
Real-Time FootageWatch the inside of your pipes with us on site as the camera travels through.
💬
Clear ExplanationWe walk you through exactly what the camera reveals — no jargon, no guesswork.
📝
Accurate Written QuoteQuote based on actual pipe condition, not a phone-call estimate.
💾
Recorded FootageSaved to file for your records or for insurance documentation.
📍 Available Across All Sydney Metro Areas
Eastern SuburbsInner WestNorth ShoreSouth SydneyGreater Western Sydney

We attend with a $0 call-out fee — if you don’t proceed with repairs, you pay nothing for the inspection.

In Summary

To save your home and garden from any unnecessary pipe and drain excavations, next time you need a licensed plumber to inspect a potential blockage at your property, ask about a CCTV Pipe Inspection.

At Proximity Plumbing, we’re fully equipped with and trained to use CCTV equipment. We’ll recommend a CCTV Pipe Inspection when necessary to ensure your home’s plumbing issues are investigated thoroughly and dealt with fast, with as little disruption to your property as possible.

Need a CCTV Pipe Inspection?

Call us today for a free quote — we guarantee to be on site within Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs in 30 minutes, and we attend with $0 call-out fee.

✓ $0 Call-Out Fee✓ HD Camera Equipment✓ Footage Provided To You✓ 30-Min Onsite Guarantee✓ 2,100+ 5-Star Reviews✓ All Sydney Metro Areas
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community
  • 35+ Years of Combined Experience
  • $0 Call Out Fees
  • Trusted by 15,000+ Sydney Families
  • Onsite in 30 - Minutes Guaranteed
  • In the community For the community

LATEST PLUMBING BLOGS

2022 Home Insurance And Plumbing: What You Need To Know

2022 Home Insurance And Plumbing: What You Need To Know

Understanding your home insurance and what you are covered for when it comes to plumbing can be overwhelming.  Do you have cover if the land mower of your neighbour damages part of your pipeline?....

Read More
Please Don’t Flush This Down The Toilet

Please Don’t Flush This Down The Toilet

Fatbergs are created when you flush down wet wipes or “flushable” wipes down the toilet and they get caught up in your pipes with a combination of any oils, fats or grease poured down the ....

Read More
How To Choose The Right Plumber in 2022.

How To Choose The Right Plumber in 2022.

Imagine you’re in the midst of a plumbing emergency (we’ve all been there) and you desperately need an ace plumber on your door step. We doubt in the middle of a plumbing emergency you&rs....

Read More
How To Unclog A Toilet Without A Plunger?

How To Unclog A Toilet Without A Plunger?

Irrespective of how hard you try, sometimes a toilet or bathroom clog is unavoidable. Whatever might be the reason for the clog, you need to clear the same. When you wish to fix the problem, a plunger....

Read More

$0 Call Out On All Sydney Plumbing Services

Can’t find the service you need? Don’t worry — we probably do it. Use our search to check if our plumbers cover your area!

Not sure where to start? Just give us a call and we’ll guide you through your options step by step. Our team will explain everything clearly, offer expert advice, and if it suits you, we can send someone out today.

View All Services

THIS IS WHAT WE GET UP TO ON A DAILY BASIS

Daily Post 1
12.3K
18.2K
Daily Post 3
15.5K
17.9K
Daily Post 4
17.9K
17.9K
Community project

Request A Call Back