See Exactly What’s Wrong Before You Spend a Dime
Camera inspection is how ONG Plumbing & Heating starts every sewer and drain job. It eliminates guesswork, prevents unnecessary work, and means you only pay for what actually needs to be done. Whether you’re dealing with a recurring clog, buying a new home, investigating a potential leak, or just want to know the condition of your pipes before something goes wrong — camera inspection gives you the full picture.
Your main sewer line runs from your home underground to the municipal sewer or septic system — and most homeowners have no idea what condition it’s in until it fails. ONG runs a high-resolution camera through the full length of your sewer line to check for blockages, cracks, root intrusion, pipe deterioration, bellied sections, and collapsed areas. You see the footage in real time, and we walk you through exactly what we find and what — if anything — needs to be done about it.
Common findings include:
A standard home inspection doesn’t include the sewer line. That means buyers routinely close on homes with deteriorating, root-damaged, or partially collapsed sewer lines — and discover the problem only after they’ve moved in.
ONG Plumbing & Heating inspects both the main sewer line and the sewer lateral — the section of pipe that runs from your home’s foundation to the municipal connection at the street. The lateral is often the most vulnerable part of the system and the section most likely to have root intrusion, joint separation, or deteriorated pipe material, particularly in older Lehigh Valley homes.
A pre-purchase inspection from ONG gives you a clear picture of the entire line’s condition before you commit. If we find a problem, you have the information you need to negotiate repairs, request a price reduction, or walk away from a bad investment.
We work with buyers, real estate agents, and attorneys across the Lehigh Valley and can often accommodate short-notice scheduling to fit your closing timeline. All inspections are recorded and a written findings report is provided for use in your transaction.
Not all leaks show themselves at the surface. Water that seeps from a crack in a buried drain or sewer line can travel along the pipe and appear far from the actual source — or not appear at all until structural damage has already occurred. ONG uses camera inspection as part of our leak detection process to pinpoint the location of subsurface leaks precisely, allowing us to repair only what’s needed rather than excavating blindly or tearing up flooring unnecessarily.
Without camera inspection, diagnosing a buried pipe problem is educated guesswork. Guesswork leads to excavating in the wrong place, repairing the wrong section, or replacing a pipe that didn’t need to be replaced. Camera inspection eliminates every one of those scenarios.
A small crack, a slow root intrusion, or early-stage pipe deterioration caught by camera inspection today costs a fraction of what a full sewer backup, flooded basement, or collapsed pipe will cost six months from now. Preventive inspection is always cheaper than emergency repair.
Sewer line replacement can cost thousands of dollars. A pre-purchase camera inspection costs a small fraction of that — and gives you the leverage to negotiate, ask for repairs, or make a fully informed decision before you sign anything.
Camera inspection pricing varies depending on the length of the line and the complexity of the job. ONG provides upfront pricing before the inspection begins — no surprises on the invoice. Call us for a current quote for your specific property. In many cases, the cost of inspection is credited toward any repair work that follows.
Yes, ONG Plumbing offers emergency plumbing services to quickly resolve urgent issues such as burst pipes, severe leaks, and overflowing fixtures.
Most sewer line inspections take between 30 and 60 minutes. Longer lines, complicated access situations, or inspections that involve multiple drain lines may take up to 90 minutes. We'll give you a realistic time estimate when you schedule.
In most cases, no special preparation is needed. It helps to know the location of your sewer cleanout if you have one, but our technicians are experienced at finding access points. We may ask that you avoid running water or flushing toilets for a short period before the inspection to ensure the camera has a clear view inside the pipe.
No. Camera inspection is entirely non-invasive. The flexible cable is designed to navigate through pipe bends and joints without applying pressure to the pipe walls. It is safe for all standard pipe materials including PVC, cast iron, clay, and ABS.
If we find something that needs attention, we explain exactly what it is, where it is, and what your options are — before recommending any work. You'll receive a written quote for any repair or cleaning needed. There is no obligation to proceed with ONG, though most customers do once they see the footage and understand the situation clearly.
Yes. ONG provides camera inspection services for commercial properties, restaurants, office buildings, and multi-unit residential properties across the Lehigh Valley. Commercial sewer and drain lines often require longer camera equipment and more complex access — our team has the tools and experience to handle it.
If your home is more than 30 years old and the sewer line has never been inspected, a preventive camera inspection is a smart investment. Many serious sewer line problems develop slowly and silently — by the time symptoms appear, the damage is already significant. An inspection gives you a baseline understanding of your pipe condition and the peace of mind of knowing what's underground.
Most furnace installations can be completed within a few hours, depending on the complexity of the system and the home’s heating setup.
Yes, it is a good idea to perform a sewer lateral inspection before buying a home. A camera inspection allows professionals to check the condition of the underground sewer line that connects the house to the municipal sewer. This inspection can reveal issues such as tree root intrusion, cracks, blockages, or collapsed pipes that may not be visible during a standard home inspection. Identifying these problems before closing can help you avoid unexpected and costly repairs and may allow you to negotiate repairs or credits with the seller.
Yes, all technicians at ONG Plumbing are trained professionals and fully licensed and insured for your safety and peace of mind.
You can schedule a service by calling our team directly or by submitting a service request through our website contact form.
• Lehigh County
• Northampton County
• Bucks County
• Monroe County
• Carbon County
• Bethlehem
• Allentown
• Easton
• Macungie
• Center Valley
• Hellertown
A sewer camera gives a direct view inside an accessible drain or sewer line. Depending on pipe condition and access, it may reveal roots, cracks, separated joints, buildup, standing water, foreign objects, or sections of pipe that appear damaged or offset.
The camera does not automatically tell the full story. Findings still need to be interpreted along with the symptoms, pipe material, line history, and how wastewater is flowing. But it can provide useful evidence before recommending a repair.
If a defect is confirmed, the next step may be sewer line repair or, when underground access is needed, plumbing excavation.
Camera inspection is especially useful when a drain or sewer problem keeps returning, when a property owner is considering a major repair, or when the condition of an older sewer lateral is unknown. It can also be helpful after a blockage is cleared to see whether a visible pipe defect contributed to the problem.
For homebuyers, a sewer-lateral inspection may provide useful information about an underground line that is otherwise difficult to evaluate during a standard home inspection. The ability to inspect the full line depends on access, pipe condition, and whether the camera can pass through the system.
For routine clogs with no history of recurrence, drain cleaning may be the more appropriate first step.
A sewer camera is a diagnostic tool, not a guarantee that every defect will be visible. Heavy blockage, standing water, inaccessible fittings, or a collapsed section can prevent the camera from reaching the full length of the pipe. The camera also cannot inspect areas outside the pipe wall or determine every cause of water intrusion.
That is why camera results should be considered together with the actual plumbing symptoms and other available information. We use the inspection to help make repair decisions more informed, not to create unnecessary work.
Can a camera find tree roots?
If roots are visible inside an accessible section of pipe, a camera can often show them.
Can you locate a broken sewer line with a camera?
A camera may help identify visible damage and estimate where the defect is located, depending on access and line condition.
Do you recommend a camera for every clog?
No. It is most valuable for recurring problems, suspected damage, older lines, or situations where repair decisions depend on the pipe condition.
Can you inspect a sewer lateral before buying a house?
Where access and pipe conditions allow, a sewer-lateral inspection can provide useful information before a purchase.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Bethlehem and surrounding Lehigh Valley communities, including Allentown, Easton, and nearby areas.
No pressure, no obligation. One of our licensed plumbers will assess your drain problem, explain your options clearly, and give you a written estimate — completely free. Most jobs can be booked same day.