When To Get A Camera Inspection
A video inspection isn't only for active emergencies. Plenty of our customers book one just to get a clear answer before they make a decision.
We'll ask what's prompting the inspection: a slow drain, a home sale, or just wanting to check an older line. That tells us what to look for. You'll get a confirmed arrival window before we show up.
We feed a waterproof camera through the cleanout or a nearby access point and walk it the length of the line. You can watch the live feed on a screen right there with us, not just hear about it after the fact.
We'll point out exactly what the camera found, mark the distance to any problem area, and give you a copy of the footage. If repair is needed, you'll get pricing options before we pack up.
Diagnosis Before Decisions
Guessing at a sewer problem leads to guessing at a fix. PlumbSmart sends a waterproof camera through the line so you and our plumber are looking at the same picture, not a hunch based on symptoms alone.
No verbal summary standing in for evidence. You watch the same footage our plumber is watching, in real time, and you keep a copy of it.
The inspection is quoted before we start. If we find something that needs a repair, you'll get separate, itemized pricing for that, decided on your own timeline.
Sewer problems hide underground, which is exactly why so many homeowners end up paying for the wrong fix. A plumber without a camera is working off symptoms: slow drains, a bad smell, a soggy patch of yard. Those symptoms can point to five different causes. A camera narrows it down to one.
PlumbSmart runs a video inspection before we ever recommend a repair. It's the same approach we'd want if it were our own house. See the problem, understand the problem, then decide what to do about it.
A general home inspection checks appliances, roofs, and foundations. It rarely includes a look inside the sewer line, which means a cracked or root-choked pipe can go unnoticed until after closing. A sewer video inspection closes that gap.
Book one and you'll walk away with:
Did you know that approximately 9-13% of our service calls are to come out to fix other companies' mistakes?
From Downtown to the Suburbs
Older clay lines downtown, newer PVC out in the suburbs, slab foundations everywhere in between. PlumbSmart's cameras and crews handle all of it, and we know which neighborhoods tend to see root problems versus soil movement.
Diane Mcelroy
Recent Google review
I am having a weird issue with intermittent dampness in my garage. Roger spent about 1.5 hours trying to locate the problem. He assured me it was not a plumbing problem and told me not to worry about the service call.
Andrew Schaffrinna
Recent Google review
Joey was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Excellent service, excellent advice, went above and beyond by providing me with recommendations on how to prevent future issues. Highly recommend.
Kristi Lopez
Recent Google review
So happy with our new system! The team was absolutely fantastic! Thank you!
Svetla McPhie
Recent Google review
PlumbSmart was the only plumbing company that responded the same day to fix a leak. Excellent work and coordination. All over great team.
Plumbing disasters don't wait for business hours. Our expert team is ready to roll at any moment's notice, day or night, to handle your emergencies.
Pricing depends on the length of the line and how the cleanout is accessed. We quote the inspection itself upfront, before the camera goes in, so there's no surprise fee once we're finished.
Most residential inspections run 30 to 60 minutes. Longer or harder-to-access lines can take a bit more time. Either way, you'll get to watch the footage the same day, not a written summary weeks later.
Yes. A lot of our inspection calls are exactly that: homeowners who want a straight answer before they decide on anything. There's no obligation to book repair work afterward.
Very. A standard home inspection usually doesn't cover what's inside the sewer line. A camera inspection can catch a cracked or root-filled pipe before it becomes your problem instead of the seller's.
We'll show you the footage, explain what it means in plain terms, and lay out your repair options with pricing for each. You decide what happens next. We don't push a repair on the spot.
Did you know that approximately 9-13% of our service calls are to come out to fix other companies' mistakes?
From the Blog
Practical tips and local insights from the PlumbSmart team.
1233 Safari St, San Antonio, TX 78216
(210) 810-0810Available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Most of the sewer camera calls we run fall into one of two groups: someone with an active symptom who wants an answer, or someone with no symptom at all who just wants peace of mind before a purchase, a renovation, or a big tree removal in the yard. Both are good reasons to book one.
Once the camera's through the line, we can usually tell you within a few minutes whether you're looking at a quick fix, a monitor-and-wait situation, or something that needs to move up the priority list. We'd rather give you that answer straight than pad it out.
If a repair does turn out to be necessary, the footage from the inspection carries straight into that conversation. You'll already know what we're pointing at, because you watched it happen on screen.
PlumbSmart is a locally owned San Antonio plumbing company, working under Master Plumber Adam Shannon's license, #M-42778. We run cameras through sewer lines across the city every week, and we'd rather show you a problem than describe one.