Due to their size and their location, it is simply not possible to view the inside of many drains in the city of London. However, if you use CCTV survey equipment, this can give you images of the inside of the drainage pipes so the site of a blockage can be found.

CCTV surveys in London can be very beneficial in terms of finding out problems with drainage. As part of a routine maintenance programme or as part of remedial works, a CCTV camera can be inserted into a drain and images can then be viewed by the drainage contractor. The images can be analysed and an appropriate solution to the problem found.

The CCTV survey imagery will give the operator some indication about the condition of the drain. This can then be used to set out an action plan to either perform other drain maintenance activities or to use another system to solve a blockage.

After a CCTV survey things which may be suggested include using coring plant to remove scale from a pipe, installation of a liner to repair a damaged section of drain or excavation of the drain due to drain collapse.

One of the most common problems which drainage engineers face is root intrusion. When a drainage pipe is cracked or damaged roots find their way into the pipe and then quickly multiply. When this happens the waste flowing through the pipe finds it difficult to pass which eventually results in a drain blockage.

If you have a blocked drain, the first thing a drainage company may try is high pressure water jetting. In this method of drain cleaning the drainage engineer will direct a high pressure jet of water down the drain to remove any accumulated debris. This however will not work if the system is blocked by roots. So when drain jetting fails, the drainage experts may suggest a CCTV survey so they can see what is causing the problem. If roots are found to be the cause, they can then suggest a suitable repair.

If roots are blocking a drain, the drain does not have to be excavated and the section of pipe replaced. Instead a spinning root cutter can be inserted into the drain which will trim the roots back to the pipe diameter. To stop the roots re-infiltrating the pipe, a liner can be inserted into the pipe which will seal the pipe and effectively stop further infiltration and hence damage.

Drainage problems are a common occurrence in London where the expanding population puts pressure on the Victorian sewer system.

If you have a drain blockage, drain maintenance companies in London can offer a range of services so that your waste water pipes will be able to flow freely again.

Water jetting in London

The most frequently used tool in the drain maintenance engineers arsenal is the high pressure water jet. Using water at high pressure the drainage company can blast away debris from the inside of your waster water pipes.

Removing roots from drainage pipes

It’s common to find that jetting alone cannot remove a drain blockage. When this happens, the drainage company may have to investigate the reason why the blockage is still intact. One of the most common reasons why drains cannot be unblocked by jetting is the infiltration of roots into the drainage pipes. When roots find their way into a drainage pipe they quickly multiply due to the easy source of water. When this happens they will need to be cut away by the drainage company using a mechanical spinning root cutter.

CCTV surveys in London

If you are having recurrent drainage problems, your drain maintenance company may suggest a CCTV survey. If you opt for this procedure the drainage company will be able to comprehensively check the condition of the drainage system by looking at video images of the inside of your pipes on a computer screen.

Buying a house can be fraught with anxiety. There’s so much paperwork to do and so many things to be aware of that it’s easy to miss something important.

Most of us who buy a house need to have some sort of survey done, either for the mortgage company or just so we can see if there are any many major problems before we part with our money. However, the survey you have very rarely looks at the condition of your drains.

Water searches will show you where the drain that leaves your home enters the public sewer system, and will also show you where the water supply enters your home. But these don’t give you any indication about the condition of these pipes.

The only way you can be sure that the drain which leaves the home is in good working order is to have a CCTV survey done of the drainage system. If you have a CCTV survey, a report will be generated which will detail the condition of the pipes and suggest whether any extensive work is needed to the drainage system.
CCTV surveys are not costly when you compare them against the cost of replacing a collapsed or ancient drainage system.

It may be the case that when jetting fails to remove the blockage in a drainage pipe that a drain maintenance expert will have to resort to a CCTV survey. A CCTV survey won’t just give the drainage professional information about what is causing the problem; it will also accurately locate the blockage site so the correct method of repair can be chosen.

Survey imaging using CCTV cameras

Drainage engineers use small CCTV cameras which they insert into the drainage system so images of the inside of the drain can be viewed on a computer screen. By viewing the drainage problem in detail the engineers can clearly indentify the problem and can give an accurate quote for the drainage repairs.

Some of the problems a CCTV survey may indicate include:

• Root ingress into the drainage system
• A foreign object blocking the drain
• Drainage pipe subsidence
• Cracks or breaks in the drainage system

CCTV surveys are an invaluable tool in the drain cleaning expert’s arsenal. And when used correctly are an essential part of drain cleaning and drain maintenance.