Yes. Ask for the video file and the written or coded report that goes with it. Utility inspection standards call for digital video, footage shown on screen and a data file linked to the video. MP4 is a common format. Private inspections vary, so ask before the camera goes in.
Why the video matters
A written report can be brief, and a defect described as "moderate" on paper looks like something specific on camera. NASSCO describes CCTV as a way to determine structural conditions, identify operation and maintenance defects and locate obstructions like roots, grease and debris. The video is where those findings are shown.
What utility standards ask for
No standard forces a private inspector to hand you a file. But municipal specifications show what a proper deliverable looks like, and you can borrow the wording:
- Digital delivery. NASSCO's contract guideline for CCTV inspection says the inspections are delivered entirely in electronic format, with the video and data linked.
- Footage on screen. The same guideline says the footage measurements shall be displayed and documented on the video, so every finding has a location.
- Observations called out. It asks that observations be identified by audio and on the log.
- A file format you can open. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati requires digital MP4 video, continuously metered, with a matching PACP/LACP database file. Cincinnati's stormwater utility specifies MPEG-1 in its own contracts. Formats differ, which is why you ask.
- A coded data file. That database is the machine-readable version of the report. See what PACP coding is.
What to ask a contractor for
- 1The video file, in a common format such as MP4, with distance shown on screen.
- 2The report, with each defect's footage, description and rating. See belly, offset joint and root terms.
- 3Photos or timestamps for anything rated past minor.
- 4The date of the inspection and the length of line covered, including where the camera entered.
- 5How long they keep the file, and whether you can download it now.
Keep it with the building's records
Store the video and report with the property's maintenance records. For a purchase or a lease, the video also documents the line's condition on the day it was recorded. See what a plumbing camera inspection finds for the wider picture.
HQ can camera-inspect a line and give you the findings with free estimates and upfront pricing on any repair. Tell us up front that you want the video.