How the job runs
- 1Access the linego in through a cleanout, a lifted toilet or the floor drain
- 2Push and recordfeed the camera head down the pipe, recording as it travels
- 3Note defectsmark roots, cracks, sags, offsets and material changes by distance
- 4Locateuse the sonde in the camera head to find its position and depth from above
- 5Reviewgo through the footage with you and recommend next steps
01What a camera tells you
The footage shows the pipe material, its condition, where it changes from cast iron to clay, how far the roots reach, and whether a section sags and holds water. It turns vague advice like "you might need a new sewer" into specific advice like "a crack at six metres, under the front lawn, about a metre and a half deep."
That precision matters when the next step involves a shovel.
| Common findings | Root intrusion at clay joints, cast-iron scale, sagging sections |
|---|---|
| Useful before buying | A sewer scope on an older home before you close |
| Shows where the city side begins | The connection near the property line |
02Buying an older house
Scarborough has a large stock of homes over sixty years old. A home inspection rarely includes the sewer lateral. A camera inspection before you firm up an offer can reveal a problem that would otherwise be your first big repair bill.
03Whose side is it on
The city is generally responsible for the part of the sewer connection on city property, and the owner for the private side. Footage helps sort out which side a defect sits on; check with Toronto Water about the current process.