Cast Iron Sewer Pipe Inspection
Cast iron lasts a long time, but it corrodes from the inside. A camera shows how much wall is left.
- Camera Inspections
- Video recorded
- Middle Tennessee
RECCH 0900:00:00Cast Iron Pipe Inspection explained.
Many Middle Tennessee homes built from the mid-century through the 1970s have cast iron drain lines under the slab and in the walls. They are tough, but years of waste turn the inside into rough rust scale that narrows the pipe and catches everything that passes.
A camera shows scale and tubercles, flaking, pitting and the occasional hole. It also shows whether the pipe is still round and how the joints are holding.
The deliverables.
See the scale
Rust buildup narrows the bore long before a pipe fails.
Spot weak joints
Lead-and-oakum and hub joints show their age on camera.
Plan the next step
Cleaning, lining or replacement based on what remains.
Buy with eyes open
Cast iron under a slab matters in a purchase.
Surface vs camera: corroded cast iron
Above ground Camera viewIllustrative visual. Drag the handle to slide between what you see above ground and what the camera sees below.
How it runs.
A clear sequence from first look to final walkthrough.
- 01
Find the cleanouts
Access cast iron through cleanouts or stack openings.
- 02
Camera the line
We record scale, joints and wall condition.
- 03
Compare sections
We note where condition changes along the run.
- 04
Advise
Clean, monitor, repair or replace, with reasons.
Often paired with this.
FILE A-10 InspectClay Tile SewerClay tile pipe is laid in short sections, and every joint is a doorway for roots.Open file 
FILE A-11 InspectOrangeburg PipeOrangeburg is tar-impregnated wood fiber pipe from the mid-century. It deforms with age, and a camera shows how…Open file 
FILE E-03 VerifyCleaning & Hydro-JettingHigh-pressure water scours grease, scale and roots from the pipe wall, and the camera proves what it did.Open file 
FILE D-02 DiagnoseUnder-Slab DrainsDrain lines under a concrete slab are out of sight. A camera finds out whether they are sound…Open file Read more on this topic.
FIELD NOTE 017 Pipe Materials & DefectsCast Iron Pipe CorrosionWhat happens inside old cast iron, what it looks like and what can be done.2 min read FIELD NOTE 013 Pipe Materials & DefectsClay vs Cast Iron vs PVC vs OrangeburgThe four pipes under Middle Tennessee yards and how each one ages.2 min read 
FIELD NOTE 004 Inspection BasicsWhat Your Sewer Camera Video ShowsA guide to reading pipe footage: what is normal, what is a warning and what is urgent.2 min read Cast Iron Pipe FAQ.
Is cast iron bad?
No. It is durable, but interior corrosion is its weakness. Condition varies pipe to pipe, which is why we look.
Can scale be cleaned?
Often it can be descaled or jetted, and that can restore flow. The camera before and after shows the result.
Should I replace it?
Only if the footage shows thin walls, holes, breaks or collapse. Many cast iron lines keep working for years after a good cleaning.
Cast Iron Pipe across Middle Tennessee.
Pick your city for its briefing.
See what is under there.
Call now or schedule below. A real person answers.