Category: CCTV Drain Surveys

What is a CCTV Drain Survey?

Posted on by Josh Paternoster

A CCTV Drain Survey may sound like a daunting concept. However, it’s really a simple procedure that involves using specialist drain cameras to inspect your pipes. In order to ensure the longevity of your drains, it helps to understand their condition first-hand. And if you really want to know exactly what’s going on, there’s only one way to find out – and that’s with a CCTV drain survey. After all, seeing is believing!

CCTV Drain Surveys in More Detail

Simply put, a drain survey is a detailed and informative look into your property’s drainage pipes, by making use of specialist CCTV cameras which are fed into your drains system. This equipment projects a live feed back to a monitor at surface level so a drainage engineer can identify any problems, and assess the best course of action. This footage is also documented, saved and can be exported for your reference.

Why Would I Need A Drain Survey?

There’s various reasons as to why you would need to get a drain survey completed. 

One of the most common reasons may be that you are a new homebuyer, in which caser, a pre-purchase CCTV drain survey is 100% recommended. Buying a property is one of (if not the) largest purchase you can make, so understandably, it’s important to have peace of mind that you won’t encounter any surprise problems with your drainage once you’ve moved in. 

A drain survey will provide you with a precise analysis of your pipes and give you the power of an informed decision, before you sign. 

Drain surveys are also recommended for homeowners or tenants who are experiencing recurring blockages in their drains, or frequent foul smelling odours. Often, consistent drainage issues can be solved with a CCTV drain survey. At Quick Clear Drainage, we offer a free drain inspection after every unblock – Full surveys are also quoted for free.

What Is The Outcome Of A Drain Survey?

The findings of a CCTV Drain Survey are endless. From damage due to tree roots, collapsed drains, severe blockages, wear and tear on old systems, and more. What’s important is that if there is an issue, a drain survey will identify it as soon as possible before the problem gets worse.  

Some of the following issues can be identified and solved as a result of having a drain survey conducted:

  • Collapsed & damaged drains
  • Damage caused by tree root ingress
  • Severe blockages
  • Causes and extent of leaks/bursts in pipes
  • Drain corrosion and general wear & tear
  • Rodent & animal intrusion.
  • Evidence of displacement or poor installation

Drain Repairs

Following a CCTV drain survey, a drainage engineer may find damaged drainage systems which require repair work. It is recommended that you take action with collapsed and damaged drains as soon as possible, as left unchecked, it can cause unwanted damage further down the line. 

The Difference Between An Inspection & A Survey

Both an inspection and a survey will provide you with peace of mind – the main difference between the two is that our full surveys allow you to keep a DVD recording as documented proof of the condition of your drains. CCTV Drain Surveys are considered a more formal evaluation of the condition of your drains, and are recommended if you are having more severe drainage issues. 

Quick Clear Drainage CCTV Drain Surveys London

Quick Clear Drainage provides CCTV drain surveys in London to help locals stay on top of the condition of their drainage systems. Drain surveys can be booked ahead of time or in many cases, on an emergency basis.  For more information, or to arrange a CCTV drain survey for your property, get in touch now.

 

6 Reasons To Book a CCTV Drain Survey

Posted on by Josh Paternoster

Your home is your biggest asset – both in terms of being where you spend the majority of your time, raise your family and spend time with loved ones, but also as it’s the single largest financial commitment most of us make. So making sure you take care of your property should be high up the list for any homeowner. Our drainage systems are a crucial, but often overlooked, piece of the mechanics of our homes. A small problem can rapidly turn into a huge issue that has a knock-on impact on many areas of your house, so it’s vital that you get any drainage matters sorted out quickly and professionally. It can be complicated to identify exactly what the issue is, which is where a CCTV drain survey can really help.

What Is A CCTV Drain Survey?

When you experience blocked drains, or book a CCTV drain survey, the process involves threading a small camera down into your pipes, drains or sewer systems to identify the cause of a problem, usually to locate a blockage or some structural damage. The camera gives our engineer a clear view of the drains in your home, recorded and displayed on a monitor. You’ll be able to see the insides of the drainage system. Our engineer will then diagnose the problem and be able to provide a solution.

A CCTV drain survey is a quick and efficient process, offering a reliable, accurate and cost-effective way of identifying a drainage problem. Damage or debris is your drains is clearly visible without the need for costly excavation before you even know what the problem is. If excavation is required to remedy the problem, it will be in one precise spot, making the whole process a lot speedier, less messy and much more accurate.

Why Do I Need To Book A CCTV Drain Survey?


There are many reasons why customers choose to book a survey – here are just some of them:

Buying a new home

When you purchase a home, you go to considerable effort and expense, so it’s vital to ensure that your new home has a drain survey in place before completing the sale. A CCTV drain survey lets you establish there aren’t any existing problems with the drains that could cause significant, costly damage further down the line. It may be a condition of your mortgage lender to have all surveys in place before a sale is agreed. Moving house is a costly process, so you want to have the peace of mind of knowing that there are no issues waiting to happen. If you do find damage on your CCTV drain survey, you can request that the vendor sorts the problem out before proceeding with the purchase.

Planning an extension

These days, many homeowners choose to avoid the cost and hassle of moving house by extending their properties – especially in London and the surrounding areas, where soaring house prices mean that it’s often more sensible to extend your existing home. If you’re planning a home extension, you’ll need a drain survey before commencing building work. It’s a condition of the water authority and the planning permission to undertake a survey if there’s building work planned.

Combatting rodent problems

You’re never that far away from a rat, especially in built-up urban areas like London, and rodent problems are an unfortunate common fact of city living.Unsealed and redundant pipes are a major entry for rodents, and most pest control technicians will not visit a site until a cctv drainage survey has been done first. The most common source of rodent infestation is actually building work where pipes have been left unsealed. If a problem is found, techniques such as linings or maneuverable sealing bags can sometimes be used to correct the problem.

Suspected water damage

Water damage is one of the most serious things that can happen to your home if left unchecked. Causing anything from structural damage and subsidence to electrical faults if it gets bad enough! If you catch it early, water damage may be purely cosmetic. Signs to look out for are dark or wet spots appearing on the walls, ceiling or floor, cracked, bubbling or flaking plaster, a sudden and unexplained increase in your utility bills or a smell of damp. If you have one or more of these issues, they need to be sorted out quickly to prevent any further damage, so start with a cctv drain survey to determine the cause

Preventing structural issues

If water damage has been occurring for a while, then it may have had time to cause serious issues such as subsidence. This refers to the sinking and warping of the foundations of your house. Homes built on clay-based grounds are more susceptible to it. A leaking drain can erode the soil under your home over time and saturate the foundations causing them to subside. You may notice doors sticking, floors becoming uneven and large cracks appearing in the walls. Depending on the severity, your home may need the foundations repinning or reconstruction work. A cctv drain survey is the first step in investigating and remedying the problem.

Get rid of bad odours and noises

When you have blocked, broken or leaking drains, often you might notice a persistent bad smell or sometimes a loud rattling or gurgling noise, disturbing the peace and quiet of your home or even putting you off inviting guests round! These annoying issues can be sorted out quickly and efficiently, using a cctv drain survey to quickly find the cause of the problem and sort it out before any real damage can occur. So you can get back to enjoying your home!

Quick Clear Drainage can assist with all manner of CCTV drain surveys in London and the surrounding areas to prevent damage to your property, give you peace of mind when buying a new home or rental premises and identify the problem quickly where water damage has already occurred. Make an enquiry today for your path to clear drains and a secure home.

A Guide To Homebuyer CCTV Drain Surveys

Posted on by Josh Paternoster

New homeowners have a lot on their plate. There are negotiations on your purchase, packing, moving, changing address, and so much more to deal with during this transition. You may even decide to undertake renovations, remodelling, or at least painting your new home once you have been handed your keys. 

There is something else you should add to your list of important items when you move into a new home in London, and that is arranging a CCTV drain survey. Drain surveys offer you the ultimate peace of mind. These surveys help to evaluate different lines within the drain system to find any problems that are happening. 

Drains and pipes that dispose of wastewater often get ignored because they are out of sight and not thought of often, but this is a problem. Without these pipes, our daily lives would be disrupted. Taking care of blocked drains will ensure you live in a hygienic environment, and the only way to be proactive about these problems is with a CCTV drain survey. 

CCTV Drain Survey Basics

A CCTV drain survey is a modern technique to do a thorough inspection of drainage systems and infrastructures with an accompanying analysis. This inspection uses various mechanisms to ensure that any blocked drains in London are found and problems are resolved. The technician involved in the process will supply all the equipment, but there are some of the things you may see. 

High definition cameras are fed through the system to stream a live feed of all the internal parts and pipes. A professional drainage engineer monitors this live feed to find any hidden blockages or other problems that need to be addressed. These cameras are waterproof and can work in tight spaces and under immense pressure. 

Sonar units are only used when acoustic listening is needed. Pipes that are filled and cannot be inspected with a camera will require this device. It helps to gather information without needing to physically access the pipes.  

The entire process should take about two hours for a typical two-bedroom home. If there are a lot of issues to explore and document, that time may be extended to allow for the camera to navigate through rough patches. If the system is blocked, the professionals can try to use high-pressure water jets to clear the debris which will both fix the clog and allow the camera to continue on its journey. 

The cost of this service is usually a flat rate, but it will vary depending on where you are located and the size of your system.

When and Why to Commission a CCTV Drain Survey

This process should definitely be done when you first move into a new home to make sure there aren’t any pre-existing conditions that could turn south quickly on you. Knowing the condition of the drainage system will allow you to plan for updates or needed repairs before they become bigger problems. You should actually have the inspection conducted before you close on the house to make sure it is habitable and so that you can make a fully formed decision. 

After that, you should do the process every few months. Blockages and other problems can happen quickly because the pipes are used so frequently. Once a problem starts, it can turn into a large problem that is difficult to fix very quickly. A survey will help you get to the root of the problem quickly and help you fix small problems before they get any larger. 

The Benefits

Getting a CCTV drain survey done holds many benefits for you as a homeowner. These surveys offer a quick analysis of your system and any problems. Within the appointment, you will know exactly what the problem is, how severe it is, and how to fix it. No guesswork, and no waiting!

It will also lead to an accurate diagnosis without taking apart the system. Full system revamps are costly and time-consuming. Not ideal situations for something so critical to maintaining your daily life and schedule. Because the camera goes inside the pipes, you can see exactly what the problem is and fix it quickly instead of making guesses and then taking apart pipes to verify. 

This process is so efficient that it offers the least amount of disruptions to your life. No large excavation is needed to locate the problem, so the parts of your drainage that are not a problem can continue to work throughout. It is also the best way to carry out an overall assessment if you are unfamiliar with the property, like new homeowners. 

If you are buying a new home, getting a drain survey is vitally important. You want to make this large, important purchase so you are making a fully formed decision. This survey will cover things the property survey doesn’t look at. If you want to know all the details about the house you are considering buying, then a regular property survey is not sufficient. 

Finding issues with the pipes before purchase means that the existing owner can be made to fix them or cover the cost of fixing them. It can also give you leverage to lower the purchase price. The existing owner may even be able to get the work done under their existing insurance. 

It may also be a required service by the mortgage company before they will lend you the money for the house. It may help you get a better rate on your mortgage or get a mortgage from a better lending company. The same goes for insurance companies. Your insurance may not cover problems if they were not informed of them when you purchased the policy. 

Quick Clear Drainage London

Here at Quick Clear Drainage, we offer professional and affordable London CCTV Drain Surveys for Homebuyers. Empower yourself with the knowledge you need to make an informed house purchase. Get in touch now to book your appointment on 0203 633 3897 or send us a message.