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Time Required for CCTV Drain Survey – 5 Vital Factors to Consider

A CCTV drain survey is a specialist technique for thoroughly inspecting the condition of a drainage system using a small, high-tech CCTV camera. This camera is passed through the drainage system’s pipework, and live footage of drains is viewed by professionals to assess the internal condition of drains quickly and efficiently.

This guide covers the benefits of CCTV drain surveys and their importance for home buyers and commercial property owners. It also provides information on factors that affect the time required for the completion of CCTV drain inspections, and you can learn some tips that help to reduce the time required for this survey.

Benefits of CCTV Drain Survey

A CCTV drain survey helps you assess the condition of your property’s pipes and drainage system and allows you to resolve various problems, such as bad odours, overflowing drains, slow-draining kitchen sinks, and many others. It identifies the underlying causes of different issues instantly without any major disruptions or excavation around your property.

This inspection is also helpful in uncovering different issues, such as cracked pipes, tree root ingress, rodent intrusion, etc., before they worsen. Once the issues are identified, a method to resolve them can be devised to save your property from potential damages and avoid costly repairs or replacements if the problems remain unchecked and persist for longer.

It also proves beneficial to map out your drainage system to provide you with an idea regarding your line of responsibility and its maintenance. This mapping of the drainage system is also essential before starting any building work or adding an extension to your property. Moreover, you can also ensure the underground repair work has been done efficiently without digging the surrounding area.

Importance of CCTV Drain Survey

For Home Buyers

Undertaking a professional CCTV drain inspection is crucial for home buyers, as this strategy helps them assess the condition of the drainage system before buying or moving to a new property. When drains are inspected thoroughly, potential damages or malfunctioning areas can be identified before the decision to buy a particular residential property is finalised.

In this way, you can negotiate the price of a home before buying. Moreover, you can protect your belongings from potential damages and avoid costly repairs if any drainage issues are uncovered in the future.

For Commercial Property Owners

It is important for commercial property owners to get their drainage systems checked by professional experts using CCTV drain inspection to determine the condition of underground drains and pipework. This helps uncover potential problems so that they can be resolved beforehand, preventing them from getting worse, saving money, and giving them peace of mind.

Factors Affecting Time Required for a CCTV Drain Survey

Typically, it takes 1 to 4 hours to complete the CCTV drain survey for a property. However, this time varies depending on various factors, such as:

Accessibility

The method of accessing a property’s drainage system also influences the time needed to complete a CCTV drain survey. Drainage systems with hard-to-reach, hidden, or obstructed manholes and inspection chambers are difficult to inspect and increase the inspection duration.

Blockages & Obstructions

If there are any blockages or obstructions, such as accumulated debris inside the drainage pipes, they act as barriers in the path of the CCTV camera and prolong the time it takes to complete the inspection.

Drainage System’s Complexity & Size

The size of the drainage system directly impacts the time required for a CCTV drain survey, as it takes more time to inspect a large drainage system. Moreover, properties with complex and extensive drainage systems require more time to complete the inspection, as there are several interconnected branches, channels, or junctions that must be checked thoroughly.

Property Size & Type

Conducting a CCTV survey for a small-sized property will take less time as there will be less pipework which connects the drainage system to the public sewers as compared to the time required for inspecting the complex drainage system of larger-sized properties. On the other hand, domestic properties with a relatively simple network of drainage pipes require less time for survey as compared to commercial properties in which drainage systems are complex and extensive.

Weather Conditions

Weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow, can impact the visibility of the CCTV camera during the inspection of drains and pipe networks. This can slow down the survey process or require rescheduling the survey to get precise and accurate results.

Tips for Saving Time on CCTV Drain Survey

You can reduce the time required to complete the CCTV drain survey for your property by following these tips:

  • Inform your neighbours regarding the planned inspection and request for their cooperation.
  • Check the weather forecast before scheduling the survey with professionals to reduce potential delays and ensure maximum visibility during the inspection.
  • Ensure all the manhole covers and inspection chambers are easily accessible and free of obstructions, such as accumulated debris, garden furniture, etc.
  • Provide accurate information to the drainage survey experts regarding the blockages or damaged pipes so they can plan accordingly with the allocation of sufficient time required.

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