Pipe inspection cameras

Learn about pipe inspection cameras 

Plumbing repairs can be super expensive, especially if you have to dig up a bunch of pipe to locate where a leak might be. Pipe inspection cameras are a great tool for pinpointing where a leak or problem area might be in a pipe before you do any digging. Getting your pipes inspected can often save lots of money and time so here is some basic information about the best digital pipe cameras on the market.

What are pipe inspection cameras?

Pipe inspection cameras are one of the best tools for plumbers to perform an inspection. These are also referred to as sewer cameras, push cameras, or snake cameras, but these tools are typically non-articulating digital inspection cameras used for visual inspection of plumbing pipes and sewer lines, even when they are underground. Typical inspection cameras range from 6mm diameter to 3-inch diameter with lengths from 20 to 400 feet. These tools are designed to be durable and waterproof for underwater inspections in plumbing pipe systems.

The tip of a pipe inspection camera usually features a high resolution video camera as well as LED illumination to see inside the darkest areas. The long hose part of the camera is smooth and very flexible so that it can be pushed through the numerous twists and turns of plumbing and sewer pipes without getting hung up.

While the inspection is performed the camera can record photos and video with audio from the operator who can narrate the inspection process and talk about what they see, making it easy to document the inspection process. Some sewer cameras include a location transmitter, or snode, that helps the user identify the exact location of the probe in the pipe system.

Why would you want to use a pipe camera for plumbing?

If you know the exact condition of the inside of your pipes, then you significantly reduce the amount of guesswork needed to fix them, thereby saving time and money.

What are the different types of pipe cameras?

There are a couple different types of pipe cameras on the market to suit the different application needs that a plumber or inspector might encounter. 

Hand Held Cameras

The most common is a hand-held pipe camera, which is very similar to an industrial borescope that you might use to inspect an HVAC system or a diesel engine. These are multi-purpose, waterproof  inspection cameras that perform many inspection tasks well. Most hand-held inspection camera probes are usually 20 to 50 feet in length. If you need something longer than that, look at a reel pipe camera.

Reel pipe cameras

Plumbing-specific pipe inspection cameras are much longer than hand-held models and are frequently called a reel camera because the long camera probe rolls up onto a reel, similar to a plumbing pipe snake - used to clean out the pipes. Reel cameras are built to be super rugged and waterproof so they can snake their way deep into a sewer pipe system, and are sometimes several hundred feet long.

What are the best cameras to look inside a pipe?

The best cameras for looking inside a pipe are illuminated and high definition. Some cameras only offer NTSC resolution (720 x 486 pixels), which is inferior to modern HD cameras (1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080 pixels). Also, if you are using a really long pipe inspection camera you need to know where the camera is in the pipe so some cameras include a transmitter to help locate it’s exact location.

What are the best digital pipe cameras?

The best digital pipe cameras really are going to depend on your application. A long reel camera can be very expensive so it could be overkill on a small job where a hand-held device will work fine. The best pipe camera is the one that solves your problem so it is good to educate yourself on different pipe cameras on the market today.

Shop Teslong pipe inspection cameras today!

If you are shopping for pipe cameras for sale then a great place to start is at Teslong.com where you will find a wonderful selection of hand-held pipe cameras and digital borescopes for all of your inspection needs.