Sewer Camera Inspection · Same-Day Availability

Sewer Line Camera Inspection in San Francisco

Before you pay anyone to dig, snake, or replace a sewer line, see what’s actually in it. Our high-definition sewer camera travels the full length of your lateral and shows you — on screen, in real time — roots, cracks, offsets, bellies and blockages, with the exact location and depth of each.

Licensed & Insured

Fully licensed, bonded and insured. Every plumber is background-checked and drug-tested.

24/7 Emergency Service

Burst pipe at 2am? We answer the phone and we show up — typically within 45 minutes.

40+ Years Experience

Family-owned and serving the Bay Area since 1985. We've seen it all and fixed it all.

Upfront Pricing

Free estimates, no hidden fees, no upcharges. And we'll beat any written bid*.

When to get your sewer line inspected

You're buying a home built before 1980
Drains back up repeatedly after being cleared
You've noticed sewage odors indoors or in the yard
You want a real quote for sewer repair, not a guess
Large trees sit between the house and the street
You've had one sewer repair and want to know the rest of the line is sound

See it before you pay for it

A one-hour inspection can save a five-figure mistake.

Sewer problems are invisible until they aren’t. A camera inspection turns a guess into a diagnosis: we locate the exact problem, measure how deep it is, and record the footage so you can get apples-to-apples quotes.

For home buyers in San Francisco it’s the single best inspection money you’ll spend — a failed lateral is one of the most expensive surprises a house can hide.

How it works

Sewer Line Inspection, step by step

No surprises: you know what’s wrong, what it costs and what we’re doing before we start.

Access the line

We open the cleanout (or pull a toilet if there’s no cleanout) and insert the camera head.

Run the full lateral

The camera travels from the house to the city main, recording the whole way.

Locate & mark

A transmitter in the camera head lets us mark the exact spot and depth of any defect above ground.

Review with you

You watch the footage with us, get a written report, and a flat-rate quote if repairs are needed.

Your options

What our inspections cover

We recommend the least invasive fix that will actually last — and we explain why.

HD Video Inspection

Full-length recorded video of your lateral, from the house to the city main, with a copy for your records.

Locating & Depth

We pinpoint each defect above ground and measure its depth, so any repair quote is precise.

Pre-Purchase Inspections

For buyers and their agents: fast scheduling, a written report, and a repair estimate to use in negotiations.

Post-Repair Verification

Already had work done? We confirm the line is clear and the repair was done right.

Need Sewer Line Inspection today? We're 45 minutes away.

24/7 emergency service across San Francisco and the north Peninsula. Free camera-verified quotes, upfront pricing, and we’ll beat any written bid*.

Why Economy Plumbing

Why homeowners call us for sewer line inspection

You watch it live

Nothing is described to you second-hand. You see the camera feed and keep the recording.

Written report, real quote

Every inspection ends with a clear report and, if needed, a flat-rate repair price.

Same-day scheduling

Escrow doesn't wait, and neither do we — most inspections are scheduled within 24 hours.

FAQ

Sewer Line Inspection questions, answered

How long does a sewer camera inspection take?

Usually 45 minutes to an hour, including the review with you.

Do I need a sewer inspection when buying a house in San Francisco?

We strongly recommend it for any home built before 1980. Many San Francisco laterals are original clay pipe and a replacement can cost more than most other repairs a home inspection turns up.

What if you find a problem?

You’ll get a written, flat-rate quote on the spot. There’s no obligation — many customers use our report to get competing bids, and we’ll beat any written one.

Can you inspect without a cleanout?

Yes. If there’s no accessible cleanout we can enter through a roof vent or by pulling a toilet, and we’ll recommend installing a cleanout for future access.

Is the inspection fee credited toward repairs?

Ask when you book — we regularly credit the inspection fee when we perform the repair.

5-Star Reviews

Don't Just Take Our Word For It

Here’s what Bay Area homeowners and businesses say about working with Economy Plumbing.

Chris was prompt, friendly, helpful, and cleaned up after himself. He did a fine job on the repairs and I was still smiling after I wrote the check. Pretty rare for me! I had called a number of places on Yelp and Economy Plumbing was the first to get back to me. Kudos all around!

H.G.Verified Customer

I called in for a Kitchen Clog and I wanted to get this issue FIXED ASAP so I can watch my Giants! I spoke with the representative there. I believe her name was Michelle. She was really nice, and helpful and was able to get someone out to my office in less than an hour. When the technician came — Albert was so prompt and really accommodating. Since I work in the servicing industry, I appreciated the fact that he was courteous and willing to explain things to me. I have no experience in plumbing so he was able give me some pointers to prevent this issue from happening again in the future. I definitely recommend Economy plumbing!

Aaron G.Verified Customer

Joe came out at 10pm for an urgent dishwasher leak, I had airbnb’d my unit and a quick response was crucial. He’s very polite and friendly and got the job done right. I called one other place and they told me they could do it tomorrow and after I told them I needed somebody tonight they said they would charge me an “emergency” fee just for coming out since it was late. Economy plumbing was the first one listed on google’s preferred vendors and rightfully so thanks to Joe!

Omid K.Verified Customer

Highest ratings to Economy plumbing. Spencer was exacting, proactive, factual and comforting. He and Emanual took care with every aspect on assessing multiple issues causing drain backup and leakage in my kitchen and bath. They worked efficiently to get everything repaired including replacement of my entire kitchen sink pipes that were busted and the main drain to the basement: It wasn’t cheap, But after comparing it to the estimated of 2 other companies -it was very fair. I’m super happy with the work and their professionalism. Would definitely use again- these guys are my new plumbers!

Finny BVerified Customer

Related services

Also from Economy Plumbing

Sewer Line Repair

Cracked, root-invaded or collapsed lines repaired right.

Learn More →

Trenchless Sewer Services

Replace a failing sewer line without trenching your yard.

Learn More →

Hydro Jetting

High-pressure water scours grease, scale and roots out for good.

Learn More →

Free Estimates

Get a Free Sewer Line Inspection Quote

Tell us what’s going on and we’ll get back to you fast — usually within the hour during business hours. For emergencies, don’t wait on a form: call us, day or night.

Full Name

Phone

What do you need help with?

Tell us what's going on