What does a CCTV drain inspection show?

Roots, cracks, collapsed or crushed pipe, sagging sections, offset joints, build-up and objects stuck in the line, plus which way the pipe runs and roughly how deep it is.

Do I need a drain inspection when buying a house?

It isn’t usually part of a standard building inspection. On an older home, or one with big trees near the sewer line, a camera check before settlement shows whether the drains need work.

Can you do a camera inspection on a blocked drain?

The camera can’t see through a full blockage, so the line is usually cleared with the jetter first, then the camera goes down to show why it blocked.

How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost?

It depends on access, how long the line is and whether it needs clearing first. Ring Craig on 0499 319 297 or send the details for a quote.

CCTV Drain Inspections | Piper Plumbing & Gas

A CCTV drain inspection is a small waterproof camera on a flexible cable, pushed down a sewer or stormwater pipe so the plumber can see inside it on a screen. It shows why a drain blocks and exactly where the problem is: roots, cracks, collapsed or sagging sections, offset joints and build-up. It is worth doing when a drain keeps blocking, before you buy a house, and before a renovation that ties into old pipes.

Craig from Piper Plumbing & Gas working on a blocked drain inside a house — Craig working on a blocked drain

What the camera shows

Tree roots coming in through joints and cracks.
Cracked or broken pipe, common in older clay lines.
Collapsed or crushed sections, often under driveways or where building work has been done.
Sags (bellies), where a section has dropped and holds water and waste.
Offset joints, where ground movement has pushed two lengths of pipe out of line.
Build-up of fat, scale or silt narrowing the pipe.
Foreign objects like wipes, toys and rubble.

It also shows what the pipe is made of, which way it runs and roughly how deep it is. That matters when you’re planning any digging.

When a camera inspection is worth it

A drain that keeps blocking

If the same line blocks every few months, clearing it again treats the symptom. The camera shows the cause, so you can decide whether a repair is worth doing instead of paying for the same callout over and over. Our post on blocked drains and tree roots explains why roots keep coming back until the damaged section is replaced.

Before you buy a house

A standard building inspection doesn’t usually look inside the drains. On an older home with big trees in the yard, a camera check before settlement can show whether the sewer line is sound or due for work, which is useful to know before you sign.

Before a renovation or extension

A new bathroom, kitchen or laundry often connects into the old drains. Checking them first avoids finishing a new bathroom and then finding the line outside is cracked or full of roots. It also helps with planning where a new line can run.

After a tree comes out or building work

Removing a big tree, or heavy machinery on site, can disturb pipes. A quick look afterwards confirms nothing was damaged.

Septic and CWMS lines

On septic and CWMS properties around the Barossa, the camera can check the line from the house to the tank, and from the tank to the boundary connection, before a problem turns into an overflow.

Drain playing up again? Ring Craig on 0499 319 297.

How an inspection works

Access. The camera goes in through an inspection opening, a gully, a pit or the line itself after a blockage is cleared.
Clear first if needed. A camera can’t see through a full blockage, so the line is often jetted clean first.
Look and locate. Craig runs the camera along the pipe, watching the screen, and notes where each problem is.
Talk it through. You’re shown what was found and what the options are, with the cost of any repair before it goes ahead.

A drain dug up in a lawn with a shovel beside the hole — Once the camera has found the spot, only that section needs digging up.

Old pipes and new pipes

A lot of what the camera finds comes down to what the line is made of and how old it is. Older homes around the Barossa often still have clay (earthenware) sewer pipe, laid in short lengths with a joint every metre or so. Each joint is a place for roots to get in or for the ground to push the pipes out of line. Newer homes have PVC, which comes in longer lengths with glued joints and holds up much better, but it can still crack under a driveway or sag if the trench wasn’t bedded properly.

Plenty of properties have both: an old clay line that has been patched with PVC over the years as sections failed. The camera shows where the old pipe starts and finishes, which helps when you’re weighing up a small repair against replacing the whole run.

What to ask when you book

Will the line need clearing before the camera can go down?
Where is the access point, and does anything need moving to get to it?
Can you show me the problem spots on the screen while you’re here?
If I need a record for a house purchase, a builder or an insurer, what will I get?

What happens after

Nothing, if the pipe is sound. That’s a good result and worth knowing.
Jetting and monitoring for minor build-up or a few fine roots.
A targeted repair where one section is damaged. Because the camera shows exactly where it is, only that part needs to be dug up and replaced.
A bigger replacement when a long run of old pipe is failing.

Who fixes what depends on where the problem is. On SA Water sewer, pipes on your property are yours to maintain. On the Barossa Council’s CWMS, the council says to check your boundary inspection point: if it’s full of water, the blockage is likely in the council’s drain. More on our blocked drains page, and our post on stormwater drainage problems covers the stormwater side.

We’re based in Williamstown and work right across the Barossa Valley, Gawler and surrounds, including Nuriootpa, Williamstown and the Barossa Valley. Ring Craig on 0499 319 297, call Hayley in the office on (08) 8472 9507, or send us the details.

Sources

Rules and schemes change. These sources were checked on 19 October 2026. Licence: LIC PGE341299.

CCTV drain inspections: what the camera shows and when you need one

What the camera shows