Sewer Camera Inspections in Charleston, WV

Many homes around Charleston sit on sewer laterals laid decades ago in clay tile or cast iron, often running downhill under mature trees toward the street. When one of those lines starts backing up, a sewer camera inspection shows you exactly what is happening underground, so the repair plan is based on video, not a guess.

Call to schedule a sewer camera inspection with Al Marino. Same-day appointments are available.

Signs You Need a Sewer Camera Inspection

A camera answers the question every homeowner has when a drain keeps failing: is this a clog, or is the pipe itself damaged? These situations usually call for an inside look.

• Backups that keep returning: If the main line was cleared and the same backup returns within weeks, something inside the pipe is catching debris.
• Several slow drains at once: When tubs, toilets, and floor drains slow down together, the trouble is usually in the main line rather than one fixture.
• Soggy or sunken spots in the yard: A wet patch or dip along the sewer line can mean a broken or separated pipe is leaking into the soil.
• Buying an older home: A pre-purchase sewer scope can reveal root intrusion or a collapsed section while it is still a negotiating point with the seller.
• Sewer odor that won’t go away: A persistent smell inside or outside the house can come from a cracked pipe or failed joint that the camera can pinpoint.

Our Sewer Camera Inspection Process

A sewer camera is a waterproof camera head mounted on a stiff, flexible push cable. Our technician feeds it into the line through your cleanout. If the house has no accessible cleanout, we can usually enter through a toilet flange or another drain opening. The camera sends live video to a monitor above ground while a distance counter tracks how far the head has traveled.

Every inspection follows the same basic order:

• Access and setup: We locate the best entry point and protect the floor or yard around it before the cable goes in.
• Full-length run: The camera travels the lateral from the house toward the city connection, recording the condition of every joint along the way.
• Locating problem spots: When the footage shows damage, we note the distance and use an above-ground locator to mark the position and approximate depth on your property.
• Reviewing footage with you: You see the same video we do, and we explain what each defect means and how urgent it is.

During the run, we watch for the problems that cause most sewer failures in older Charleston homes:

• Root intrusion: Fine roots slip into clay tile joints and grow into mats that trap paper and grease.
• Offset or separated joints: Shifting soil on sloped lots can push pipe sections out of alignment.
• Bellies: A sagging section holds standing water and solids, so clogs keep forming in the same spot.
• Cracks, corrosion, and collapse: Cast iron scales and rusts from the inside, and older clay or fiber pipe can crack or flatten under soil weight.

A line with heavy buildup but solid walls may only need cleaning. A cracked or root-damaged section can often be restored with pipe relining, which seals the pipe from the inside without trenching the yard.

Al Marino is a certified Perma-Liner provider, so relining recommendations come from technicians trained on that system. A collapsed section or severe belly usually needs a spot repair, and the video shows where to dig.

Inspection Before Repair

Running a camera before quoting a sewer repair keeps you from paying to dig up the wrong section of yard.

Pre-Purchase Sewer Scopes

Standard home inspections rarely include the sewer lateral. A scope before closing gives you documented footage of the line’s condition, which you can use to request repairs or a price adjustment.

Why Choose Al Marino for Sewer Camera Inspections?

Al Marino has been a family-owned Charleston company since 1952, and every technician who comes to your home is drug-tested, background-checked, and fully trained. We give upfront pricing before work starts, offer same-day appointments, and answer calls 24/7 when a backup can’t wait until morning. If the inspection points to a larger sewer repair, financing is available to spread out the cost. A 100% satisfaction guarantee backs our work.

Stop guessing about your sewer line. Call Al Marino to book a sewer camera inspection in Charleston or the surrounding areas.

Frequently Asked Questions