Sewer Camera Inspection Pierce County | Sewer Scope & Drain Camera

Sewer Camera Inspection in Pierce County & South King County

See exactly what's inside your sewer line before you spend a dollar on the wrong fix. Andy's Plumbing & Drain runs sewer camera inspections across Pierce and South King County for recurring backups, pre-purchase home inspections, post-storm or post-tree-fall checks, and any time you need to see what cabling alone cannot diagnose — when access allows. You watch the screen with us. We mark depth and distance. You get a recording on request.

A plumbing company that remembers your home.

Recommended on Mainlines Watch the Screen With Us Recording Available

When to Run a Sewer Camera

The camera is the only way to see what's actually happening inside the pipe. We recommend it in these situations:

Recurring backups. Same drain or floor cleanout backs up multiple times a year. Cabling clears the symptom, not the cause.
Pre-purchase inspection. Buying a home older than 30 years, or any home where the sewer line condition is unknown. Cheap insurance against a $10K surprise.
After a tree comes down nearby. Roots and shifting ground often crack lines.
Yard sinking, soggy spots, or sewage smell outside. Often means a broken or leaking line.
Multiple drains backing up at once. Suggests a mainline issue, not a single fixture.
Before remodels or major work. Confirms the line can handle additional load before you spend on the rest of the project.
After cabling that didn't fully clear. Roots, scale, or grease that won't come out tells you there's something deeper.

What the Camera Shows

You're sitting next to us, watching the screen. We point out and explain what we see:

Roots. Thin hair-like roots through joints, or thick mats of roots that have invaded the line. We mark the location and depth.
Breaks or cracks. A separated joint, a snapped section, or a crushed area. The camera shows daylight if the line is broken open.
Bellies. Sections where the pipe has sagged, holding water and waste. Repeated backups concentrate here.
Bad slope. A line that runs uphill or has improper grade.
Scale, grease, or mineral buildup. Often jet-able rather than replacement-worthy.
Wrong material or failed material. Orangeburg, clay, or older cast iron with significant deterioration.
Improper connections or unpermitted work. Sometimes shows up on older homes.

What's Included in the Inspection

Camera run from cleanout or accessible entry point to as far as the line allows or to the city main
Distance and depth marking on anything significant
Locator transmitter on the camera head — we can mark the location of a problem on your yard or driveway with a paint mark or flag
Verbal walkthrough of what's there and what it means
Recording of the inspection if you want it (USB or cloud link)
Honest recommendation on next steps: leave it alone, monitor, jet, spot repair, or full replacement

Camera Inspection & the Real Estate Process

Most homes in Pierce and South King County built before the early 1990s have either older cast iron, clay, or sometimes Orangeburg sewer lines. These materials fail. A pre-purchase camera inspection is the single best dollar a homebuyer can spend on a plumbing-related inspection. We send the recording and a written summary directly to you for negotiation purposes.

What It Costs

Camera inspection is flat-rate and told to you up front. Standalone camera inspection is the most common pricing. When camera is paired with drain cleaning or a sewer repair, the inspection is sometimes included in the larger job — we tell you the total either way before we start. Free estimate. No trip charge. No emergency upcharges.

Honest take: If a contractor wants to quote you a sewer line replacement without running the camera first, walk away. The camera is how we know what to actually quote. Without it, you're paying for a guess.

What Happens After the Camera

If the line is sound, you walk away with peace of mind and a recording. If we find a problem, we walk you through options:

Jetting (hydrojetting): for grease, scale, or roots that can be cleared by high-pressure water. More on hydrojetting →
Spot repair: for a single break or one bad section in an otherwise sound line.
Full sewer line replacement: for lines failing in multiple spots or made of failing material. More on sewer line repair →
Trenchless options: when conditions allow, we quote both trenchless and traditional so you can compare.

Common Sewer Camera Questions

When do I actually need a sewer camera inspection?

Recurring drain backups, before buying a home, before a major remodel, after a tree comes down, after multiple drains back up at once, or any time you suspect the main sewer line is the actual problem. The camera is the only way to know what's in there.

Will I see the camera footage?

Yes. We run the camera with you watching. You get a clear view of what is in the line, exactly where, and how deep. We send you a recording if you want it.

Can you mark where a problem is in my yard?

Yes. The camera head has a transmitter. We use a locator above ground to mark the exact spot and depth with paint or a flag. Useful for quoting repairs and for you to know what's under your yard.

Does it matter if my line has no cleanout?

It can. If your line lacks an accessible cleanout, we sometimes have to pull a toilet to access the line, which adds to the job. We tell you up front before any extra work begins.

What if you find something bad?

We show you what we found, mark the location, and walk you through options — jetting, spot repair, full replacement, or trenchless. We quote each option separately. You decide. No pressure.

Should I have a camera run before I buy a house?

If the home is older than 30 years, almost always yes. Sewer line replacement is one of the most expensive surprise repairs a new homeowner can hit. The camera inspection is small money against that risk.