Residential · Sewer & main drain
Sewer Camera Inspection in Markham
A camera inspection replaces guesses with pictures. You see what we see, from the cleanout to the street, and decisions get much easier.
- Floor drain hosed and disinfected after a backup
- Distance to the fault measured on the cable
- Camera footage of the lateral reviewed with you
- Dig or line? Both options laid out before a shovel moves
- Licensed plumbers (details on request)
- Price agreed before work
- Call-only, no forms
- Tested before we leave
Signs you need sewer camera inspection
Repeat clogs are the main reason. If the main line has needed augering twice or more inside a year or two, something is catching debris. Buyers looking at older homes ask for inspections too, as do owners planning a basement renovation or a new backwater valve. A sewer smell in the yard, a soggy patch of lawn over the line, or a sinking strip of driveway are other reasons to look.
Our routine on the day
A sealed camera on a bendable push cable enters through the main cleanout. As it travels, we watch the live picture with you and note the distance at each feature: joints, fittings, roots, cracks, sags or offsets. A locator at the camera head lets us pinpoint the spot and its depth on the ground above, which is useful if a repair is needed.
You receive a recording and a short written summary in plain language. If the line looks fine, we say so. If something needs attention, we explain the options and how urgent each one is.
Markham houses and what shapes this job
Laterals in Markham range from vitrified clay in pre-1970 streets to cast iron, concrete and modern PVC. Each material fails in its own way. Clay tends to separate at joints and invite roots. Cast iron scales and rusts from the inside. PVC is sturdy but can sag if the soil beneath it settled after construction.
For anyone buying an older Markham home, a camera look before closing is one of the more useful inspections you can arrange. It is also a smart step before a basement bathroom rough-in, since new fixtures will rely on that line.
Access can differ widely. A clear cleanout in an unfinished basement is quick; a cleanout behind built-in shelving or under tile takes more effort.
Reading the results
Small amounts of scale or a few fine roots are common and may only need periodic attention. Offset joints, cracked sections or a sag that holds water are more serious, because they keep catching waste. A collapsed or crushed section is the most urgent finding and usually means an excavation or lining repair. We rank what we find so you can plan, rather than react, and you are welcome to get a second opinion using the same recording.
We also note the depth and approximate route of the line on the surface. That is useful when you plan a deck, fence posts or tree planting near the front yard, since it shows where not to dig.
Ring us without delay if
Book promptly if a recent clearing did not last, if you see sewage near the foundation outside, or if a sinkhole forms over the line route. Those findings can point to a broken pipe rather than a simple blockage.
Good timing: if a line is fully blocked, we clear it first so the camera can travel and the picture is clear.
From the job notes of Plumbers in Markham
Job card · Sewer & main drain
On the van for this job
- Push camera plus a sonde locator that finds the break from the lawn
- Floor drain plugs and wet-vac for backed-up basements
Signs you need this
- The basement floor drain fills when the washer empties
- A sewer odour rising around the basement floor drain
What we check before we pack up
- Open the main cleanout and see which side holds water
- Camera the lateral to the property line
| Pipe | Where we find it | Typical fault |
|---|---|---|
| Clay tile lateral | Older villages, pre-1960s | Root entry at joints, cracked bells |
| PVC lateral | 1980s onward | Bellies, offset joints after settling |
How the job runs, start to finish
- 1
On the phone
Explain what the water is doing and where. We ask the age of the house and which valve or breaker to shut while we drive over.
- 2
Drop cloths down
Floors and cabinets get covered, the water or gas is isolated and the work area is lit.
- 3
Find the failed part
We open the trap, cleanout, access panel or wall where the fault is, and show you what we found.
- 4
Quote, then work
We explain what failed and what the fix costs; no cutting starts until you say yes.
- 5
Cut, fit, seal
Old parts come out, new pipe, valves or fixtures go in, and joints are soldered, pressed, crimped or glued.
- 6
Test and ticket
We run water, pressure-test or fire the heater, check for drips, clean up and leave a written ticket of what was done.