5 Reasons CCTV Pipe Inspection Is a Crucial Part of Every Excellent CIPP Service

Your plumbing company’s reputation is the most valuable component of your business. If you don’t have a reputation for quality, lasting repairs, you won’t be able to keep your doors open for long. And you build that reputation by guaranteeing that your work is done right the first time. So how do you accomplish this?

For CIPP repairs, your most accurate and trustworthy method is CCTV pipe inspection. Not only does a CCTV system make it easier to get repairs done efficiently, but it also provides your customers with the assurance that their pipe repairs will stand the test of time.

5 Reasons to Include CCTV Pipe Inspections with Your CIPP Service

Without a visual inspection before and after installation, you simply can’t stand behind the work you do. CIPP repairs have many benefits when done correctly, but those benefits aren’t possible if the workmanship can’t be guaranteed. CCTV pipe inspections are the final step to guarantee you’ve cleaned, prepped, and repaired your pipes well enough to start using them within hours of completing the job. Here’s what you should expect to gain when you provide video inspections before and after your installations.

1: Eliminate Surprises

Municipal projects are typically significant undertakings. With the potential for hundreds of miles of pipe (or more) to assess, visual inspections are the best way to guarantee you know the extent of the repairs you may need.

In residential inspections, CCTV pipe inspections also help you stay ahead of any surprises in the pipe repair process. Whether it’s tree roots, lateral connections, or major obstructions, you’ll know exactly what you’ll encounter before you ever start the repairs.

2: Determine the Best Repair Option

CCTV pipe inspections also guide repair decisions. Not all pipe damage can be repaired the same way, so seeing what the damaged pipe looks like before starting gives you the advantage of not having to take a guess on which method to use. More extensive damage, for example, could eliminate conventional CIPP repair options and instead require other trenchless repairs.

3: Make More Accurate Quotes and Estimates

When you finish a CCTV inspection of damaged pipes, you can use your video inspection to calculate the repair costs. Whether manually or through software integration, the visual of the pipeline can make your quotes more accurate by accounting for specific prep and cleanout requirements, bends or constrictions in the damaged lengths, and lateral connections you’ll have to account for.

4: Ensure Work Meets Quality Standards

Your finished work has to hold water—and not just figuratively. If you end up with unaddressed imperfections or weak points in the repair when you recommission the lines, you’ll have to come back to fix the whole thing again. That’s expensive.

CCTV makes it much easier to determine the quality of your work. And that means better margins for your company and a better reputation with your customers.

5: Improve Safety and Efficiency

Digging is always time-consuming, and it can be dangerous as well. And when you’re trying to determine a line’s need for repair, you should minimize each of these drawbacks. A CCTV pipe inspection is invaluable for reducing risk and wasted time. Your crew will work faster and be safer when you use a camera system for inspections.

When to Use CCTV with CIPP Lining and Repairs

Pipe inspections aren’t just for the end of the job. That camera system is useful throughout your CIPP installation. In fact, the pre-installation assessments and measurements it can provide make a big difference for your bottom line.

And while there are some companies that claim to have better solutions for post-installation inspections, NASSCO still requires CCTV as the primary visual confirmation of quality workmanship.

Pre-Installation Assessments

Before you ever start a repair, CCTV pipe inspections help you determine if your crew and equipment will be able to finish the repair. Not only is it necessary for CIPP lining, but it also serves as a way to steer the repair plan toward the best possible solution. Your people will be able to provide better service, and your customers will trust you to do what’s best for them, not just your own pocketbook.

Measurements and Preparations

Once you’ve determined your best plan of action, CCTV camera systems can help you calculate the materials and labor you’ll need to get the job done. You’ll minimize waste, improve crew efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction when you come to your job sites completely prepared for the repair.

Post-Installation Quality Assurance

When your CIPP liner is cured, the same CCTV system can help you find wrinkles, creases, thin spots, and defects before you recommission the lines. This post-installation check keeps you from leaving a job without a guarantee of your work. And when combined with software programs for mapping and measuring, you can be even more confident in the work you’re doing.

Types of CCTV Cameras

Your project requirements will determine the type of camera you need for your business. Municipal, residential, and commercial projects each require different data, measurements, and equipment. Keep in mind your business when looking for a CCTV pipe inspection system rather than simply going with the least (or most) expensive option available. 

Push Cameras

In most situations, your most reliable and useful camera system is a simple push camera. Using a cable machine and a special camera attachment, you can find damaged sections of pipe quickly and easily. They are relatively lightweight and low-profile, so they are unlikely to further damage pipes when used.

While some larger municipal or commercial contracts may need a more robust or portable solution, a push-camera CCTV system does an excellent job in most situations.

Pipe Crawlers

Pipe crawlers provide some of the most advanced CCTV pipe inspection and mapping available. These cameras are built on treads or tires that can be controlled via a computer unit at the access point. For municipal projects with large pipelines, pipe crawlers give much more control for inspections. But they’re also expensive, and they don’t work well with small-diameter pipes or pipes with extensive damage.

Zoom Cameras

For hard-to-access pipes or for pipes directly accessible from manholes or other points of entry, zoom cameras can provide fast, simple, and safe inspections. They’re attached to the ends of specialized poles and can be controlled through attached computer systems.

The inspector places the pole into the pipe’s access point, lining it up with the lateral direction of the pipe. The cameras can then take detailed images and measurements of the interiors of the pipes. Many models can capture up to 500 feet of pipeline in a single shot, making large inspection and assessment jobs much faster. They’re also great for pipes that can’t be inspected with other methods due to damage or obstructions.

CCTV Integrations

Cameras are the central equipment for pipe inspections, but they can do much more than just take still and video images. Most CCTV systems can incorporate advanced integrations that make projects much easier while simultaneously reducing overall costs.

GIS Integration

Geographical Information System mapping, or GIS, allows you to overlay location information on top of visual information. In other words, your CCTV pipe inspections become a digital map for better project planning and management. While single-family residential projects may not see the greatest benefits from this integration, GIS can benefit many multifamily or municipal repairs.

Integrated CAD Output

For more complex CIPP repair projects, CAD (computer-aided design) integrations help you create digital blueprints of your pipes. From lateral connections to mapping with an architectural blueprint, an integrated CAD output will give you a more precise image of your project’s needs.

Inclination Reporting

Along with imagery, a CCTV inspection can determine pipeline inclinations. This kind of integration helps you determine the best repair for the damaged pipe you’re assessing. Some trenchless methods, including some types of CIPP, do not work well with backward inclinations. So before you start, your CCTV cameras and equipment can let you know what you’re up against.

Digital Schematics and Diagrams

3D mapping helps you prepare for every possible need long before you start your repairs. Along with auxiliary equipment, you can determine pre-installation needs in large-scale projects with precision and efficiency. And after the repairs are complete, you can use this same technology to ensure the CIPP liner was installed correctly, down to the thickness of the liner wall.

Work With T3 to Start Your CIPP Service Right

CCTV inspections for pipe lining make your business more efficient, profitable, and reliable. It’s that simple. But it’s not always that simple to learn a new piece of equipment.

Skip the struggle against that learning curve with our customized training programs. We don’t just offer extensive training and certification for the equipment and materials we provide. We can help you learn the equipment you already have, no matter what brands you use.

Contact us today to learn how you can get the most out of your CIPP repair and CCTV pipe inspection equipment with our in-person, virtual, and on-site training.