Sewer Camera Inspection Services in Albuquerque
Prevent costly repairs by keeping your sewer and drain lines clean, clear, and healthy.
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You can’t fix what you can’t see, and most sewer problems happen out of sight, buried underground, where a homeowner has no way to check on them. That’s exactly why a sewer camera inspection is the first step Sunshine Plumbing & Heating takes on almost every sewer job we handle. Instead of guessing at what’s wrong or digging up your yard to find out, we send a video camera inspection unit through the line so we can see, in real time, exactly what’s happening inside your sewer pipe. Sunshine has been family-owned and operated in Albuquerque since 1973, and our approach has always been the same: do the right thing for the customer.
Why a Sewer Camera Inspection Comes First
A sewer camera inspection is the foundation of any smart sewer line repair decision we make, because we believe in getting it bright the first time.
Early Problem Detection
A small issue in a sewer line rarely stays small. A hairline crack widens. A trickle of root intrusion turns into a full blockage. Even a clog that keeps coming back is usually a sign of something bigger happening further down the line. Catching these problems on camera, while the fix is still simple, means you never have to wait for a full backup to know something’s wrong.
Accurate Diagnosis
Without a camera inspection, diagnosing a sewer problem is mostly guesswork. With one, we can give you a real appraisal of your sewer pipe’s condition and recommend the repair or replacement option that truly fits the problem, including whether a trenchless lining solution makes sense for your situation.
Avoid Unnecessary Digging
Since the inspection camera shows us exactly where a problem is and how severe it is, we can target the repair instead of digging blindly. That means less disruption to your yard, driveway, or landscaping, and a repair plan built around what’s really happening inside your sewer system, not an educated guess.
When You Need a Sewer Camera Inspection
- Before buying a home: A house is one of the biggest investments most people will ever make. A sewer camera inspection before closing tells you the real condition of the sewer line, so there are no costly surprises after you move in.
- After buying a property: Even with a home inspection already done, a dedicated sewer camera inspection establishes a clear baseline and can catch issues a general inspector may have missed.
- Recurring drain problems: If the same drain keeps clogging, a camera inspection can show you exactly why, whether it’s root intrusion, grease buildup, or a structural issue in the line itself.
- Backups: Water or waste flowing back into your fixtures is a clear sign that something is wrong further down the line, and it should never be ignored.
- Routine maintenance for older homes: Homes with older cast iron or Orangeburg sewer pipe, or properties with mature trees near the line, benefit from periodic video inspection to catch deterioration or root intrusion before it causes a failure.
- Before and after major sewer work: A camera inspection can confirm that a repair solved the problem, or document the condition of a sewer line before a renovation or addition.
How to Know You Need Our Sewer Camera Inspection
- Slow-draining sinks, showers, or toilets
- Persistent, unusual odors coming from your drains
- Gurgling sounds in your pipes
- Recurring backups in the same fixture
- Multiple fixtures clogging around the same time, which is a strong sign that the problem is in the main sewer line rather than a single drain
If any of these sound familiar, give us a call. A sewer camera inspection will tell you what’s really going on, instead of leaving you to guess.
Our Camera Inspection Process
- Access point identification: We start by locating the best access point for the inspection camera, whether that’s an existing cleanout, a roof vent, or a fixture.
- Camera feed through the line: We feed the sewer camera through the pipe while our technician watches the screen for real-time footage of the entire sewer line.
- On-screen diagnosis: As the camera moves, our technician identifies blockages, root intrusion, cracks, corrosion, and low spots as they appear.
- Locating the problem: Using the distance counter and above-ground locating equipment, we pinpoint the exact depth and location of any issue, which matters if excavation turns out to be necessary.
- A repair recommendation that fits: Based on what the camera inspection shows, we recommend hydro jetting, descaling, a trenchless repair, or replacement, matched to the specific issue we find rather than a one-size-fits-all fix.
What a Sewer Camera Inspection Can Detect
- Tree root intrusion into the sewer line
- Grease and debris buildup restricting flow
- Cracks and breaks in the sewer pipe
- Corrosion and structural deterioration
- Bellies or low points where water and waste collect
- Misaligned or separated pipe joints
- Pipe material, which helps us identify age-related risk (PVC, cast iron, Orangeburg, or transite/asbestos cement pipe)
What Happens After the Inspection: Your Repair Options
Once the camera inspection is complete, we’ll walk you through the repair path that matches what we found. Depending on the condition of your sewer line, that might include:
- Hydro jetting or descaling, for grease buildup, scale, and everyday debris
- Trenchless pipe lining or pipe bursting, for damage that doesn’t require full excavation
- UV spot repair, for a short, localized section of damaged pipe (up to 5 feet)
- Traditional excavation, for severe structural damage or sewer lines that run beyond 100 feet
We won’t recommend a repair method until we’ve seen the condition of the line for ourselves. That’s the whole point of starting with a camera inspection.
Why Homeowners and Businesses Choose Sunshine
Sunshine Plumbing & Heating has served Albuquerque and the surrounding areas since 1973. Joseph Santangelo Jr., the second-generation owner, grew up working every job in the business, from the ground up, learning the same lesson his father built the company on: no matter what, do the right thing.
That founding philosophy still shapes how we approach every sewer camera inspection today. We use professional inspection equipment and experienced technicians to give you a transparent, accurate assessment, not an upsell. We know the local area, including the older cast iron and Orangeburg pipe common in many established Albuquerque neighborhoods, and we bring that local expertise to every camera inspection and every repair recommendation that follows.
See What’s Really Going On Beneath Your Property
A sewer camera inspection takes the guesswork out of a problem you can’t see, and it’s the fastest way to catch a small issue before it becomes a costly one. Rise and shine with Sunshine, and let us show you exactly what’s happening inside your sewer line.
Call 505-296-3188 to schedule a sewer camera inspection, request service online, or find your area on our service map.
Serving These Communities
Sunshine handles both residential and commercial sewer camera inspection services, backed by more than 50 years in the business. We proudly serve:
- Albuquerque
- Bernalillo
- Bosque Farms
- Cedar Crest
- Corrales
- Edgewood
- Los Lunas
- Placitas
- Rio Rancho
- Tijeras
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a sewer camera inspection cost?
Cost depends on factors like the length of the sewer line, ease of access, and whether any additional diagnostics, like a smoke test, are needed. The best way to get an accurate number is to request a quote directly.
How long does a sewer camera inspection take?
Most residential sewer camera inspections take under an hour, though lines that are longer or harder to access can take more time.
Can a sewer camera inspection find root intrusion?
Yes. Root intrusion is one of the most common issues our cameras identify, and it’s often clearly visible on screen as roots growing through joints or cracks in the pipe.
Do I need a sewer camera inspection before buying a house?
It’s strongly recommended, especially for older homes. A sewer line problem can be expensive to fix, and a camera inspection before closing gives you a clear picture of what you’re buying.
What pipe materials are common in older Albuquerque homes?
Many older properties still have cast iron, Orangeburg, or even transite (asbestos cement) sewer pipe, all of which are prone to different types of deterioration. A camera inspection can identify which type of pipe you have and how it’s holding up.
Will the inspection damage my pipes?
No. A sewer camera inspection is non-invasive. The camera simply travels through the existing pipe, so there’s no digging and no damage caused by the inspection itself.
What happens if the camera finds a problem?
We’ll walk you through exactly what we saw and recommend the repair option that fits, whether that’s hydro jetting, a trenchless repair, a spot repair, or excavation, based on the condition of the line.