Every SewerInspector.ca guide, by topic
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Before You Buy
5 guides
Who does sewer scope inspections, and how to choose one
Who does sewer line inspections, how to find a sewer camera inspection company near you, what to ask before booking, and the red flags to watch for.
Is a sewer scope worth it? When it pays off, and when it doesn't
Is a sewer scope worth it? A plain decision framework: which homes and situations justify one, when it is optional, common objections, and how often to re-scope.
Sewer inspection vs home inspection: where one stops and the other starts
Sewer inspection vs home inspection: what a home inspector checks in the plumbing, what only a sewer camera sees, who does each, and how to book both.
Should you scope the sewer before buying a house?
When a sewer scope before buying a house is worth it, which homes need one most, how to fit it inside a condition period, and what to do with the result.
Sewer scope on a new build: what goes wrong in brand-new sewer lines
Is a sewer line inspection necessary for new construction? What goes wrong in new laterals, when to scope before warranty dates, and what to ask the builder.
Defects
3 guides
Common sewer defects, explained by what they do to the pipe
Common sewer defects explained: roots, cracks, fractures, offset and separated joints, sags, deposits, holes and collapse, with severity and usual next steps.
Beyond the camera: dye, smoke and pressure testing of sewer laterals
What sewer scope testing and lateral inspection can include beyond video: dye tests, smoke tests, air and water pressure tests, and when each one is used.
Sewer pipe materials by construction era, and what each looks like on camera
Sewer pipe materials by era in Canadian homes: clay, cast iron, Orangeburg, concrete, ABS and PVC, how each one fails and what it looks like on camera.
Local
1 guides
Next Steps
2 guides
After the sewer inspection: repair, clean, monitor or reinspect
What to do after a sewer inspection: repair, clean, monitor or reinspect each finding, when to get a second opinion, and how to check who owns the pipe.
Inspecting the sewer after a backup: finding out why it happened
Why a sewer camera inspection after a backup matters: private vs municipal causes, timing, what to record for insurance, and how to stop it happening again.
Planning Work
3 guides
CCTV sewer inspection: crawlers, lateral launch cameras and coded surveys
What CCTV sewer inspection is: crawler cameras, lateral launch and zoom cameras, PACP-coded municipal surveys, and what city camera work means for your lateral.
Condo and multi-unit sewer inspections: who scopes what
Condo and multi-unit sewer inspections: shared vs unit piping, what boards should scope, what buyers should ask for, and access in occupied buildings.
Scope the sewer before you renovate, finish the basement or landscape
Why to get a sewer inspection before renovation, basement development, a suite or landscaping: what to check, when to book it, and how findings change plans.
Reading Reports
3 guides
How to read sewer camera footage, frame by frame
How to read sewer camera footage yourself: the water line, joints, sags, offsets, roots, cracks and transitions, plus camera effects that fool untrained eyes.
Sewer camera inspection certification and training: what it proves
Sewer camera inspection certification and training in Canada: NASSCO PACP and LACP, home inspector courses, safety training and what a credential proves.
What a good sewer inspection report contains
What a sewer inspection report should include: full video, distances, locate and depth marks, a line map and clear limits. A checklist to judge any report.
The Inspection
6 guides
Can a sewer scope cause problems? The real risks and how to avoid them
Can a sewer scope cause an issue? The real risks of a camera inspection: toilet reset leaks, seized cleanout plugs, stuck cameras, odours and who pays.
How a sewer camera inspection works, step by step
How a sewer camera inspection works, start to finish: access points, push vs crawler cameras, the footage counter, sonde locating and what limits the view.
How long a sewer scope takes, from booking to the report
How long a sewer scope inspection takes: typical time on site, what adds time, how far ahead to book, and when to expect the video and the written report.
Renting a sewer camera and scoping your own line
Can you rent a sewer inspection camera and scope your own line? What rental and consumer cameras do, how to use one safely, and where DIY falls short.
Sewer inspection points and cleanouts: how to find, use or move one
What a sewer inspection point, chamber or cleanout is, how to find yours in a Canadian house, whether you can move or add one, and scoping through a toilet.
Sewer line locating and depth: how the mark on your lawn is made
How sewer line locating and depth readings work: the sonde, the hand-held locator, peak and null readings, marking, accuracy, and calling before you dig.
Tools, costs & reference
6 pages
Sewer camera inspection cost: 2026 planning ranges for Canada
Sewer inspection cost in Canada for 2026: planning ranges for a camera scope, locating, toilet access, clean-and-scope and multi-unit work, and price drivers.
Inspection report decoder: sewer defect codes in plain language
Decode a sewer inspection report: search NASSCO PACP-style codes for roots, cracks, offsets, deposits, sags and collapse for meaning, severity and next step.
Lateral defect map: plot your sewer inspection findings
Turn a sewer camera report into a strip map: enter footage-counter distances, defect types and depths to see where each finding sits and how urgent it is.
Sewer camera inspections in Calgary and area
Sewer camera inspection in Calgary: what older and post-war homes show on camera, frost and chinooks, trees, backwater valves, 311 and ownership checks.
Sewer inspection glossary
Sewer inspection glossary: plain definitions of camera, report and defect terms, from sonde and clock position to PACP, offset joint, belly and tuberculation.
Sewer camera inspection FAQ
Sewer camera inspection FAQ: timing, cost, access, what the video shows, defect codes, ownership, insurance, condos and what to do with the results.
Describe the problem once. Get a straight answer.
Send the symptoms and anything you already know — age of the house, what a camera found, what you have been quoted. The HAUSE Sewer desk replies with next steps and, where available, a local contractor for the job.
Sewage backing up right now? Stop using water, keep people away from the water, and do not touch electrical equipment near it.