Honest plumbers use a camera
An honest plumber will always offer to put a camera down the drain to find the real cause of your blockage. A really honest one will show you the footage too, so you can see what’s going on. Don’t worry, it’s usually nothing too yucky, because they film from the other side of the blockage.
A dishonest plumber will just say they “already know” the cause. But no plumber has X ray vision. None of them can see inside your drains underground. Worse, if they only clear what they think is the cause, the real problem may still be there. You could be calling them back next week or next month. This can go on for months or even years. If it does, you’re being scammed.
If a plumber won’t show you what’s inside your drain, they’re hiding something, they don’t know, or they’re lazy.
Plumbers can’t see underground
There are many reasons an honest plumber always puts a camera down your drain. First, plumbers can’t see underground. They can guess the cause and draw on years of experience. But without a camera, they’re only guessing.
So how do you put a camera down a drain that’s blocked? Here’s the secret. Your drains have an inspection shaft or other access point, often near your property boundary. It’s usually easy to reach. It lets the plumber put the camera in from the other side of the blockage and see what’s going on.
What the camera can show
Is the drain full of tree roots?
This is very common, and often the main cause of blockages. Read how to keep tree roots out of your drains.
Did someone put something down the drain?
You’d be amazed what people try to flush down a toilet. We’ve seen everything from kids’ toys to a roast leg of lamb that went off in the fridge!
Is something left over from building work or old repairs?
We’ve seen drains fully blocked with concrete that was poured into them while a slab was laid for a new home or renovation.
Has the drain partly or fully collapsed?
Believe it or not, the PVC pipe used in modern drains isn’t that strong. It can easily collapse or break at the joints and block the whole drain.
Is it an old terracotta drain?
Old style terracotta pipes can come apart or shift at the joints quite easily. Then dirt, tree roots and other things can get in.
Is there a creature in your drain?
We’ve seen frogs, lizards, snakes and rodents get into drains and not get out. Sadly they die in there, and that causes a big blockage.
Is there a build up of fats, oils, wipes or toilet paper?
Fats, oils, unflushable wipes and dried up toilet paper can all build up. Often it’s a mix of things.
Why The Drain Man always uses a camera
That’s why we always put a camera down your drain before we do anything else. Even when the cause looks obvious, we never pretend to know. The truth is, we don’t have X ray vision either.
So we always do a CCTV drain inspection first. It’s included in our service fee, at no extra charge. Be warned: some plumbers charge extra, a lot extra, to get their camera out.
We always show you the footage too, so you see what we see. That way we’re completely honest and open when we talk about your drain.
Often the footage shows there are no other big problems. Then we just clear the blockage and you should be fine.
If the camera shows bigger problems, we’ll give you expert advice on what to do next for a long term fix.
Sometimes we may suggest you reline your drains. This puts a new lining inside the drain. It keeps tree roots out, restores a partly collapsed drain and fixes broken or shifted joints.
Whatever we do, we’re open, honest and clear with our customers. That’s why you can trust The Drain Man. We always put a camera down the drain.
Before a plumber comes to look at a blockage, ask them: are you going to put a camera down my drain? If the answer is no, think again about whether they’re the right plumber for you.