What the camera sees that a snake cannot
A drain snake clears a clog and tells you little. A push camera, mounted on a flexible rod with a self-leveling lens and bright lights, shows the pipe wall, the joints and the water line in the pipe. It travels from a cleanout, a pulled toilet or a roof vent into the lateral until it reaches the main.
Most cameras also carry a small transmitter. A locator on the surface finds the head, reads its depth and marks the spot, so a root or crack found at forty feet can be marked on your lawn closely enough to dig.
How an inspection visit runs
Time depends on access and line length.
Find the entry point
The best access is the cleanout near the house. JBID rules for new laterals call for one within 5 feet of the building and every 100 feet along the run. Older homes may need a toilet pulled.
Run the camera
The plumber feeds it through the lateral and records while watching the monitor, noting distance in feet as it goes.
Mark and measure
Defects are located on the surface with the locator and flagged with paint or stakes if you want them.
Review the video together
You see the same footage the plumber sees. Roots, offset joints, cracks, bellies and debris are explained one by one.
Get a written summary and options
You leave with the recording, the locations and a short plan, from do nothing to cleaning to repair.
What a finding means and what to do about it
| Finding | What it means | Typical next step | Urgency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean pipe, clear joints | The lateral is in working order | Keep the recording as a baseline | None |
| Fine roots at joints | Roots found a leaking joint and entered it | Sewer line cleaning or hydro jetting, then watch it | Soon |
| Heavy root mass | Roots are filling the pipe and the joint is open | Cutting plus a spot repair, or lining | High |
| Belly or sag with standing water | A low spot where the pipe lost slope and waste collects | Dig and re-lay that section | Medium to high |
| Offset or separated joint | Two pipe lengths no longer line up | Spot repair at the joint | Medium |
| Crack or broken pipe | Wall is fractured and may leak or collapse | Sewer line repair | High |
The camera cannot see through standing water in a belly, so a sag can hide a crack below the waterline.
Buying a home in Herriman? Inspect the lateral
Jordan Basin Improvement District (JBID), the sewer provider, recommends that the sewer lateral be inspected when a home is sold. The private line from the house to the District main is the owner's to fix, and the District may not work on private property.
A general home inspection usually does not include the lateral. Ask your agent to put a camera inspection into the inspection period, get seller consent for access, and ask for the video. A defect found before closing can be negotiated as a repair or credit. One found after closing is yours.
Buying a home or tired of slow drains? Call (385) 488-1892 and book a camera pass.
Call (385) 488-1892When a camera inspection is worth booking
| Situation | Why inspect | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Buying or selling a home | The lateral is hidden and costly if it has failed | Full video and notes with locations |
| A sewer backup has happened once | Root intrusion or a sag may be waiting to repeat | Camera pass beyond the point of the clog |
| Slow drains in several fixtures | A shared lateral or main problem looks like this | Camera and a check of cleanout cap flow |
| After root cutting or jetting | Confirms the pipe is sound under the debris | Before and after recordings |
Herriman sewer ownership and what JBID covers
JBID owns the public mains, which are typically 8 inches or larger, cleans them about every 18 months and televises them roughly every five years. Your lateral is separate. If a backup stops when all water use in the house stops, JBID points to the house plumbing or private lateral, and that is the part a camera can check.
About 41 percent of Herriman homes are townhomes or apartments, per the city. Some shared laterals serve more than one unit, so ask your HOA or property manager who owns and maintains a shared line before ordering an inspection.
JBID also bars groundwater from sewer lines. If a camera shows water running in through a joint, repairing it helps you and the district.
What an inspection costs and what changes the price
Inspection is a short, scoped service, and the plumber should state the price before the camera goes in.
- Access. A clean cleanout is the easiest start. If the plumber has to pull a toilet or find buried access, the visit takes longer.
- Length of the line. A short lateral is quick. A long run to a distant main needs more cable and time.
- Locating and marking. Depth readings and surface marking add steps, and you may want both.
- Cleaning first. A pipe too dirty to see through may need light cleaning before the camera is useful.
A sewer inspection is a diagnostic cost and not covered by insurance. JBID advises checking whether your homeowners policy covers sewer backups, because it is not automatic. Ask your insurer about backup coverage separately.
Want your real number? Call (385) 488-1892, mention whether you are buying, and the dispatcher will quote the visit.
What we do not do
A camera inspection is not a city or district inspection. We do not inspect the public main, which belongs to JBID. We also do not judge code compliance for a permit. If a repair needs district inspection before backfill, JBID asks for 24 hours notice, and your plumber will tell you when that applies.
Sewer inspection questions
How long does a sewer camera inspection take?
Once the camera is in, a typical lateral is viewed in a short visit. Hard access, a dirty pipe or a long run adds time.
Do I need an inspection when buying a home in Herriman?
JBID recommends it. The private lateral is the owner's responsibility, and a general home inspection does not look inside it. A recording before closing protects you.
Can the camera find where the pipe is under my yard?
Yes. A transmitter in the camera head lets a locator on the surface read the position and depth, so the spot can be marked without guesswork.
What if the inspection shows damage?
The plumber explains options from cleaning and monitoring to a spot repair or replacement. Compare them on our sewer line repair page, and call before any dig so utilities can be marked.
Is the sewer lateral my responsibility?
The private line from the house to the District main is the owner's, per JBID. The main in the street belongs to the District. If the backup stops when water use stops, the problem is on your side.
Does a clean video mean I will never have a backup?
No. It means the pipe was in good shape that day. Wipes, grease and new roots can change that, so avoid flushing anything except human waste and toilet paper.
Do you inspect septic systems?
No. Septic systems are a different trade. This service covers sewer laterals that connect to a public main.
Closing soon or chasing a backup? Call (385) 488-1892 to book a camera inspection.
Call (385) 488-1892Sources and standards
The standards and local rules behind this service page are listed below. Rules and fees change, so read the current version before you rely on them.