Not every clogged drain can be fixed with a plunger or snake — a tool that is a thin, flexible wire auger fed down pipes. And unbeknownst to most, chemicals should never be used to unclog a pipe. These caustic chemicals can damage your pipes, and they can severely injure or blind you or a plumber when they don't work, and you finally decide to call a professional.

You can thank technology for another tool plumbers have at their disposal today — sewer camera inspection services. Here's a look at how your plumber can use this technology to help you.

1. No More Guessing Where The Problem Might Be

There are a lot of nooks and crannies and twists and turns in your pipes. This can make finding where the trouble is pretty difficult. In the past, a plumber would have to play a guessing game as he tried to determine where and what the clog might be. Just because the toilet is backed up doesn't mean the problem originated there. It may be the sewer that's the problem. Now with the use of cameras, a plumber can more easily detect where and what the problem is.

2. Sewer Camera Inspection Services Can Save You Money

With this camera technology, plumbers don't have to dig up different areas to figure out the problem. The camera will show them immediately where there may be a tree roots tangled up in your pipes and causing the toilet to overflow every time you flush it. As plumbers frequently charge by the hour rather than per job because of all these unknowns, the customer ends up saving money.

3. A Sewer Camera Inspection Can Prevent Plumbing Issues In The Future

Because the plumber must feed the camera through your pipes, he may be able to detect problems before you even know they are there. This can also save you money as everyone knows the longer a problem the fester, especially an unknown one, the more damage it does, and the more money it costs. Detecting a problem and fixing it when it is small will save you money down the road.

4. A Sewer Camera Can Work On More Than Just Your Sewer Pipes

Cameras can fit in any size drain. They can be used to find hair and grease clogs, find cracks that are allowing rodents or other pests in your home, water leaks, leaks in your septic tank, and any other problems that affect your drains.

For more information, contact a company like Streamline  Plumbing.