CCTV Drain Inspections & Drain Unblocking Wellington
Most drain problems are invisible — the pipe’s underground, and guessing costs money. A CCTV camera inspection shows you exactly what’s going on, so the repair is targeted and quoted fixed-price.
Southern has been clearing Wellington drains since 1982 — 40+ years, around 29,000 jobs. Camera-first, dig-second. Call 0800 484 353 for same-day response in Wellington, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kapiti.
What a CCTV Inspection Actually Shows
We feed a self-propelled camera into your drain and you watch the footage live on a monitor. You see:
- Exactly where the blockage is (distance from access point)
- Whether it’s tree roots, grease, wipes, or structural damage
- Cracked or displaced pipe joints
- Bellied sections where the pipe has sagged
- Pipe material and diameter — useful for renovation planning
- Council-vs-property-side boundary location
We mark the surface directly above the problem so any repair dig is short and targeted. You get a USB copy or emailed video file of the full inspection — useful for insurance, pre-purchase reports, or just your own records.
Drain Unblocking — The Right Tool for the Job
Different blockages need different tools. We carry the full kit on every van:
- Hand rod — for shallow, light blockages close to the access point
- Machine worm / electric eel — cuts through tree roots and compacted debris
- Industrial water blaster (hydro-jet) — scours the pipe walls clean, removes grease and build-up
- Vacuum truck — for sumps and channels full of silt
- Pipe relining — permanent repair for cracked or root-damaged pipes without excavation
Most blocked drains are cleared in under an hour. Call 0800 484 353 — same-day response across Wellington.
What Causes Wellington Drain Blockages
Nine out of ten blockages in Wellington homes come down to one of these:
- Tree roots growing into joints on older earthenware pipes
- Fat, oil & grease build-up from kitchen sinks
- “Flushable” wipes — they aren’t actually flushable
- Sanitary products and nappies
- Collapsed pipe sections from ground movement or age
- Bellied pipes where solids settle and build up
- Toys and foreign objects (hello, toddlers)
- Silt build-up in sumps and stormwater pits
A camera inspection tells you which one you’re dealing with — so you don’t keep paying for temporary unblocks that don’t fix the root cause.
Pre-Purchase & Insurance Claim Reports
Buying a pre-1980 Wellington home? Get the drains CCTV-inspected before you sign. A $400 inspection can save you a $12,000 sewer replacement six months after settlement.
We also do insurance claim reports — footage, written cause assessment, and itemised repair quote in the format insurers want to see. Sudden events (earthquake damage, tree-fall root intrusion) are often covered. Gradual deterioration usually isn’t. The CCTV footage is what determines which category it falls into.
Permanent Solutions, Not Just Unblocking
Clearing a blockage buys you a few months. If the root cause is a cracked pipe or tree-root intrusion, it’ll come back. Once CCTV identifies the actual problem we quote you a permanent fix:
- Pipe relining — a resin liner cured inside the existing pipe. No dig.
- Spot excavation — dig up just the broken section
- Full run replacement — where the whole pipe is at end of life
- Root barrier — chemical or physical to keep roots out
Every permanent repair is drainlayer-certified and backed by Master Plumbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Usually same-day across Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kapiti. For genuine emergencies (sewage overflow, flooding) we respond within 1–2 hours. Call 0800 484 353 — answered 24/7.