Drain & Sewer Camera Inspections in Toronto
A City Rooter camera inspection shows the inside of your drain or sewer line so we can identify blockages, roots, cracks, and offsets before digging. It diagnoses the issue; it does not clear it. Book an inspection when clogs keep coming back.
- Recurring clogs
- Suspected tree roots
- Buying or selling a home
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Drain and sewer camera inspection
A camera inspection shows the inside of the pipe so you can see a clog, roots, a crack, or an offset before anyone digs. It diagnoses the problem. It does not clear it.
Book an inspection when clogs keep coming back, you are buying or selling a home, or you want to know whether you need a snake, hydro jetting, or a repair. Guessing is how people pay for a full replacement when a two-foot section would do — or pay for another snake on a collapsed line.
City Rooter runs a waterproof camera with a locator so we can mark the problem on the lawn or the basement floor. You can watch the video. We explain what you are seeing in plain language.
When a camera saves money
Without video, it is easy to pay for the wrong job. A cleanout snake starts at $325. That is money wasted if the pipe is already crushed. A replacement is money wasted if the only issue is grease a jet would clear.
Buyers use a camera the way they use a home inspection: to see the buried line before they own it. Sellers use it to avoid a last-minute holdback. Renovators use it before they pour a floor over a mystery pipe.
- Recurring clogs after professional cleaning
- Suspected tree roots
- Home purchase or sale
- Planning a water or sewer upgrade
- Sewage smell that returns after a snake
- A wet strip of lawn over the drain path
What the camera usually finds
Clogs from grease, wipes, or a foreign object. Roots at clay joints. Cracks and holes in cast iron. Offsets where two sections no longer line up. Bellies that hold water and waste. Scale that has narrowed the pipe to a fraction of its original size.
Each finding has a different next step. A clog gets cleaned. Roots may need cleaning plus a repair at the joint. A collapsed section needs replacement. We will not sell you all three when the video shows one.
How the inspection works
We need access: a cleanout is best. If there is no cleanout, we may pull a toilet or use another opening and we tell you the extra cost first. The camera goes in, we record, and we locate the defect on the surface.
If the line is blocked so badly the camera cannot pass, we clear enough to see, then finish the inspection. That combination is common on emergency backups. You should leave knowing what failed and what it costs to fix.
After you have the video
Keep a copy. It is useful for insurance, a real-estate file, or the next technician. If we recommend cleaning, see drain cleaning or hydro jetting. If we recommend opening the ground, see drain repair or drain replacement.
Call (647) 534-6875 to book an inspection. We serve Toronto and the GTA with licensed, insured technicians.
Camera before you buy or sell
A home inspection looks at what you can see. The sewer is underground. Buyers in older Toronto neighbourhoods should know whether the clay or cast iron will last a year or need a replacement before they move in. Sellers who have the video already can answer that question instead of taking a last-week holdback.
We locate defects on the lawn so a contractor — us or someone else — can price a repair without a second guess. The recording is yours. If we do the repair, we already know the path. If you shop the video around, that is fine. An honest finding should survive a second opinion.
If the line is blocked on the day of the inspection, we can often clear it and then finish the camera on the same visit. You leave with a working drain and a record of the pipe, not only a note that says “could not pass.”
What the video is not
A camera is not a cleaning and it is not a repair. It is the map. We will not charge you for a replacement because the video is dramatic if a jet would clear the line. We also will not tell you the pipe is fine if the joints are already open.
Ask for the recording. If a company will not show you the inside of your own pipe, call us instead. You are paying to see the line, not to hear a summary.
Need drain & sewer camera inspection in Toronto?
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Reviews
Only 5-star reviews from GTA homeowners
★★★★★
Alex and his team replaced our main drain and broken pipes. He provided great service and workmanship, at reasonable prices. Highly recommend.
★★★★★
City Rooter installed a new waterline from the edge of the property into my basement. Alex worked with me to get the best solution possible, gave a very good price, and left everything neat and tidy.
★★★★★
They saved us from a major plumbing disaster. Tree roots clogged the drain. The team snaked the line, excavated, replaced the damaged pipe, and installed a cleanout. Professional, efficient, and fair.
Frequently asked questions
What does a drain camera inspection show?
A waterproof camera shows clogs, grease, roots, cracks, offsets, and bellies inside the pipe. It diagnoses the problem. It does not clear it. City Rooter uses the video to recommend a snake, hydro jetting, a spot repair, or a replacement — with a written price.
When should I book a sewer camera inspection?
Book one when clogs keep coming back, you smell sewage after a cleaning, you are buying or selling a home, or you want to know whether a repair is worth it. A camera before a big excavation is how you avoid paying for the wrong job.
Is a camera inspection the same as drain cleaning?
No. Cleaning removes a blockage. A camera shows why the blockage happened. We often do both on the same visit when access allows: clear the line, then record the pipe so you can see whether the wall is sound.
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