San Francisco County · Detection
Camera-based inspection finds sewer line breaks, root intrusion, and drain leaks.
When Fernanda T. in Bernal Heights, San Francisco called about a patch of unusually green or soggy grass over the sewer line's path, a technician got out the same week. San Francisco sits on a mix of bedrock and reclaimed bay fill depending on the neighborhood, and areas built on fill, like parts of SoMa, see more ground settling that stresses sewer laterals, while older neighborhoods on original terrain more often see root intrusion from mature street trees instead. The technician's on-site explanation meant there were no surprises once the repair crew arrived.
— Fernanda T., Bernal Heights, San Francisco
San Francisco sits on a mix of bedrock and reclaimed bay fill depending on the neighborhood, and areas built on fill, like parts of SoMa, see more ground settling that stresses sewer laterals, while older neighborhoods on original terrain more often see root intrusion from mature street trees instead.
Sewer service in San Francisco connects to the city's public sewer system, and confirming whether an issue sits on your private lateral or the municipal main is one of the first things a camera inspection establishes here.
Sewer line problems tend to show up gradually: slow drains, gurgling, or a damp patch in the yard that never quite dries out. Using push and drain-camera inspection equipment, we run a real-time video line down the sewer lateral to identify cracks, offset joints, root intrusion, or full breaks, and mark the exact distance and location from the cleanout.
Camera inspection lets us show you exactly what's happening inside the line on screen, with the defect's distance from the access point logged, so any excavation or trenchless repair is targeted to that section only.
Slow or gurgling drains throughout the house, not just one fixtureA patch of unusually green or soggy grass over the sewer line's pathSewage odor in the yard or near the cleanoutSinkholes or soft, sinking ground along the line's pathBackups in the lowest drain in the house (often a shower or floor drain)Multiple slow drains after tree work or root growth nearbyFrom Sunset District, Richmond District, Noe Valley to Mission District, Pacific Heights, Bernal Heights, we handle sewer & drain leak detection calls across San Francisco, matching the approach to each property's age, soil, and layout.
Call or request an appointment online. Same-day slots are available across California for active leaks.
A technician arrives with acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, and pressure or camera tools matched to your specific leak type.
The leak's exact location is marked and explained to you in plain terms, so nothing gets opened up on a guess.
You receive a written diagnostic report you can hand to your plumber, restoration team, or insurance company, with repair or fix options discussed on the spot.
“Old Victorian with plaster walls everywhere, so I was dreading this. They used thermal imaging and found the leak behind one wall panel instead of opening up the whole room. Saved us a big repair bill.”
“Ground near our garage had been soft for a while. Turned out to be the main line. They marked the exact dig spot and our plumber only had to open a two-foot section instead of the whole path.”
“The floor in our hallway had a warm spot for weeks. They found the slab leak in under an hour with the listening equipment and marked a tiny area instead of tearing up the whole hallway. Huge relief.”
“Our water bill jumped for two months straight and we couldn't find why. Turned out it was a slow leak behind the water heater. Professional, on time, and explained everything on the spot.”
“Salt air had corroded a fitting outside near the meter box. They traced it with the acoustic equipment without digging up my whole side yard first. Appreciated the straightforward report.”
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