Problem:
How do you find the source of a sewer backup or a basement flood?

Solutions:
If you manage, own or lease a building, a backed up sewer is a disaster. They are also hard to troubleshoot, since the piping is underground. It could be a leaking water main, it could be a clog from tile grout, or it could be a broken sewer main. As a first step, try using a plumber's snake and jet cleaning, since they are easy and inexpensive. If the problem persists, a fiber optic video camera will pinpoint location and depth of the problem for excavation.

The fiber optic camera shows you exactly what the water sees flowing down the pipe. You can nose the camera up to a break or clog, and using an external receiver, pinpoint location and depth of the blockage. This saves in excavation, and more importantly, it ensures fixing the problem. There are a number of companies that perform this type of service for about $1200 a day. They can also trace water lines and find the location of underground leaks that may be causing water to seep into a basement. With these tools, the solutions to underground problems are easier to see.

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