# SewerInspector.ca > Sewer camera inspections, explained frame by frame — before you buy, renovate or dig. SewerInspector.ca is part of the HAUSE Sewer network — an independent Canadian information and service-request network (not a contractor). Contact: sewers@hause.ca, 403-679-3100. A sewer inspection, or sewer scope, is a video survey of the inside of a building's drain and buried sewer lateral. A waterproof, lighted camera is pushed from a cleanout or toilet flange to the municipal main while a counter records distance. Each defect — roots, cracks, offset joints, sags, collapse — is recorded and located on the ground so it can be monitored, cleaned or repaired. ## Guides ### Before You Buy - [Who does sewer scope inspections, and how to choose one](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/how-to-choose-a-sewer-inspection-company/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/is-a-sewer-scope-worth-it/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-inspection-vs-home-inspection/): 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?](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-scope-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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-scope-on-a-new-build/): 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 - [Common sewer defects, explained by what they do to the pipe](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/common-sewer-defects-explained/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-lateral-testing-dye-smoke-pressure/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-pipe-materials-by-era/): 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 - [Sewer scope inspections in Edmonton: what to expect and who to call](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-scope-edmonton/): Sewer scope and sewer line inspection in Edmonton: what mature and newer neighbourhoods show on camera, cold and clay soils, elms, EPCOR and 311 checks. ### Next Steps - [After the sewer inspection: repair, clean, monitor or reinspect](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/after-a-sewer-inspection-what-next/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-inspection-after-a-backup/): 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 - [CCTV sewer inspection: crawlers, lateral launch cameras and coded surveys](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/cctv-sewer-inspection/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/condo-and-multi-unit-sewer-inspections/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-inspection-before-renovation/): 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 - [How to read sewer camera footage, frame by frame](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/how-to-read-sewer-camera-footage/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-camera-inspection-certification-and-training/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/what-a-sewer-inspection-report-should-include/): 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 - [Can a sewer scope cause problems? The real risks and how to avoid them](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/can-a-sewer-scope-cause-problems/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/how-a-sewer-camera-inspection-works/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/how-long-does-a-sewer-scope-take/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/renting-a-sewer-camera-diy-scope/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-cleanout-and-inspection-point/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/guides/sewer-line-locating-and-depth/): 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 and reference - [Sewer camera inspection cost: 2026 planning ranges for Canada](https://sewerinspector.ca/costs/sewer-inspection-cost/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/tools/inspection-report-decoder/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/tools/lateral-defect-map/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/calgary/): 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](https://sewerinspector.ca/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](https://sewerinspector.ca/faq/): Sewer camera inspection FAQ: timing, cost, access, what the video shows, defect codes, ownership, insurance, condos and what to do with the results. ## Network - [PipeCleaning.ca](https://pipecleaning.ca/): The Canadian field manual for cleaning drain and sewer pipes — by method, by material, by house. - [SewerQuotes.com](https://sewerquotes.com/): What sewer work should cost, what a fair quote contains, and how to compare three of them. - [DrainAugering.ca](https://drainaugering.ca/): Find the clog, pick the right cable, and know when augering is the wrong tool. - [SewerCleaners.ca](https://sewercleaners.ca/): Hiring a sewer cleaner, keeping the line clear, and stopping backups before they start. - [SewerRoots.ca](https://sewerroots.ca/): Tree roots in sewer lines — why they get in, which trees are worst, and how to stop them for good. - [SewerJetting.ca](https://sewerjetting.ca/): Hydro jetting, pressure by pressure — what it clears, what it can break, and when it is worth it. ## Optional - [Full text for language models](https://sewerinspector.ca/llms-full.txt) - [Editorial standards](https://sewerinspector.ca/about/)