Certified sewer inspections are important assessments that gauge the condition and functionality of large-diameter municipal sewer lines that run underground through neighborhoods and cities.
These inspections are critical for predicting and preventing sewer problems as they provide a detailed look at how sewer lines are deteriorating and whether repairs or replacements are needed.
Since municipal sewer lines are more difficult to access and maintain than home sewer lines, periodic home sewer inspections are necessary to prioritize maintenance needs.
What Are NASSCO Sewer Inspections?
Not terribly different from home sewer inspections, NASSCO sewer inspections are performed using specialized equipment that includes high-resolution CCTV, laser, and sonar that make it possible to view the inside of the sewer line from the outside.
Using these multi-sensor technologies to perform one-pass certified sewer inspections, it is possible to not only see the condition of the inner surface of the sewer pipe but also measure the thickness of its walls throughout.
This is especially significant for detecting weak points or points of buildup that could potentially lead to a future blockage.
How Does This Type of Certified Sewer Inspection Work?
How does this multi-sensor scanning detect these details?
When lowered into an active sewer line and run throughout, the sonar and laser are able to create multiple views of the construction of the sewer line.
Using cross-sectional and flat fold-out 3-D views of the pipe, it is possible to see erosion and sediment buildup patterns from a NASSCO sewer inspection, detect flaws and leaks, and determine other flow-related problems that should be remedied.
Between measuring sewer pipe wall loss and sediment buildup, it is possible to estimate the lifespan of the sewer line over time while also tracking other important metrics.
What Might Be The Results Found From A Home Sewer Inspection?
Depending on the flow of water and debris through the sewer line, water conditions, and other sewer flow conditions from a home sewer inspection, some sewer lines might suffer from excessive sediment buildup, pipe capacity loss, and underflow conditions that can affect the wastewater itself.
Flow conditions caused by pipe interior conditions that promote the production of hydrogen sulfide or depleted oxygen levels can then create a toxic environment that releases hydrogen sulfide gas.
For these and other reasons, it is necessary to submit all pipe inspection results from a certified sewer inspection for assessment of municipal sewer lines and the materials passing through them.
Adding It All Up
All of these findings, when submitted as a certified NASSCO report, will be read and analyzed by a NASSCO sewer inspection specialist who is familiar not only with the technology used to perform the scan but also with the pipe materials.
The specialist can then determine the actual condition of the scanned sewer line and determine whether some kind of rehabilitation is necessary.