It is very important to know what has gone wrong with your drains before any work is undertaken. A drain camera survey will highlight any problems with your drains before any excavation or lining is carried out. This will ensure that the work required to repair any problems with your drains is completed correctly and within a budget.

Pipe Material and Diameter

The material the pipe is made of and the diameter of the pipe. A CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) liner is installed inside the existing pipe. The bore of the existing pipe must match the bore of the liner as closely as possible. If the confirmed bore of the existing pipe is less than expected then a ‘standard’ liner may not fit and alternative(s) of smaller diameter(s) and/or alternative method(s) may need to be considered.

Defect Location and Depth

The exact location of a defect(s), the depth below ground of the affected portion(s) of drain(s) and thus whether a no-dig approach or an open excavation will be best will be recorded on the survey report. A problem located at around 600mm below ground in a driveway may well be best located with a short dig approach, whilst a problem(s) at 2m or more below ground in a driveway may well be best located and repaired with drain relining.

Root Intrusion Extent

The roots of trees appear clearly in the images. These can be restricted to local damage (intrusion) and possibly require cutting and flushing. However, roots penetrating further into the sewer can cause more significant problems, i.e. joint damage over longer sections of pipe. Such defects are typically best repaired using relining.

Joint Displacement and Bellying

A displaced joint could be a local repair with a patch, but a section of pipe that has sagged in the ground such as a ‘belly’ in the pipe will require full replacement of that section of pipe.

The Survey Report and Drain Map

Following a CCTV drain survey a written report is produced which includes a simple drain schematic detailing the position, depth and pipe runs of all defects found. This allows any contractor to accurately cost any required repair and clearly outline who is responsible for a particular section of drain under the New Roads and Street Works Act.

A useful reference for CCTV Drain Survey Loughborough is //www.wilkinson-env.co.uk/drainage-services-cctv-surveys-midlands/cctv-drain-surveys/loughborough.

A good survey report turns an unknown problem with your drains into a cost work scope to repair your problems before any ground is broken.