Drains & sewer · Boulder
Sewer camera inspection in Boulder, CO
A sewer camera inspection runs a waterproof camera through the line from your house to the city main and records what it finds: roots, cracks, sags, offset joints or collapsed pipe. It's the best way to decide between cleaning, spot repair and replacement.
- Licensed Colorado plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Sewer camera inspection for Boulder homes
In Colorado the homeowner usually owns the sewer service line all the way to the main in the street. Many homes built before the 1970s still have clay or Orangeburg pipe, and big cottonwoods and silver maples send roots into every joint.
A scope is common before buying an older home, because sewer line repairs can be expensive and aren't covered by a standard home inspection.
Sewer camera inspection at a glance
- Urgency
- Usually plannable
- Area
- Boulder, CO
- Who does the work
- An independent, licensed Colorado plumber
- Permit
- The City of Boulder Planning and Development Services issues plumbing permits
- Typical steps
- Access → Record → Locate defects → Review
- Availability
- Call now to check plumber availability
Signs you need sewer camera inspection
- Repeated main line clogs
- Buying a home built before about 1980
- Large trees between the house and the street
- Soggy spots or sinkholes in the yard along the sewer path
- A basement floor drain that backs up
Local conditions
What's different in Boulder
Boulder has some of the oldest housing on the Front Range. Homes on Mapleton Hill, University Hill and around Whittier often still have clay sewer laterals, sometimes patched with newer pipe during past remodels. The city's mature tree canopy puts roots into those joints, so recurring backups in an older Boulder home usually start there.
A camera inspection before buying, before a remodel, or after a second backup shows where the defect is and how deep, which matters on narrow lots with mature trees and historic hardscape. Work in the street needs City of Boulder permits, so knowing exactly where the problem is keeps the repair plan, and the digging, as small as possible.
Permits: The City of Boulder Planning and Development Services issues plumbing permits; unincorporated areas go through Boulder County.
How the job usually goes
- 1
Access
The camera goes in through a cleanout, a toilet flange or a roof vent.
- 2
Record
The plumber pushes the camera to the main, noting distance and depth with a locator.
- 3
Locate defects
Problem spots can be marked on the ground above for repair planning.
- 4
Review
You get the video and a plain-language summary of what it shows.
What affects the cost
Every job is priced by the plumber after they see it. These are the things that move the price most. Ask for the price before work starts.
- Cleanout access
- Line length
- Whether a cleaning is needed first to see the pipe
- Locating and marking defects
Sewer camera inspection questions
Should I scope the sewer before buying an older home in Boulder?
Should I get a sewer scope before buying a house in Denver?
What is Orangeburg pipe?
How long does a sewer scope take?
Can a camera inspection find the location of a break?
Will I get a copy of the sewer scope video?
Do I need a cleanout for a camera inspection?
Also in Boulder
Related
Related plumbing services
Sewer line repair
A damaged sewer line can be fixed with a spot repair, a trenchless liner, pipe bursting or an open-trench replacement.
Learn more
Drain cleaning
If one fixture is slow, the clog is usually in that fixture's branch line.
Learn more
Hydro jetting
Hydro jetting cleans the full width of a drain pipe with high-pressure water, washing out grease, scale and fine roots that a cable only punches a hole through.
Learn moreGuides
Read before you call
Drains & sewer
Why is my basement floor drain backing up?
When water comes up through the basement floor drain, the main sewer line is usually blocked between the house and the street. Stop using water upstairs, then call a plumber to clear the main line. If it happens more than once, a camera inspection shows the cause.
Drains & sewer
Should you get a sewer scope before buying a home?
For homes built before about 1980, or with large trees in the front yard, a sewer scope is worth it. A standard home inspection doesn't look inside the sewer line, and in Colorado the buyer will own that line all the way to the main.
Need sewer camera inspection in Boulder?
Tell us what's going on and your ZIP code. You'll be connected with a licensed plumber who serves your area.
Call now to check plumber availability