A sewer camera inspection in Selma shows what's inside the pipe from your house to the town's sewer, so you know whether a backup is a clog, roots, or a pipe that's cracked or sagging. Over half of Selma homes were built before 1980, so older lines are common. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
The Town of Selma runs the sewer collection system in town, including 19 sewer lift stations, and Johnston County treats the wastewater; flow travels through the county's interceptor system to the Central Johnston County Regional Wastewater Facility. Selma is a railroad town on I-95, next to Smithfield, with the Downtown Selma and West Selma historic districts. Its median home was built in 1974, and about 55% predate 1980. Building sewers from that era are often clay or cast iron, where roots and corrosion are common camera findings. The town's side runs from the collection lines and lift stations; the pipe from your house to the town's connection is the owner's, and it's what the camera inspects.
What to do now
- Stop running water if sewage is coming up a drain.
- Check with neighbors. If they're having trouble too, the town's side may be involved; call the town.
- Find the cleanout, usually a capped pipe near the foundation or in the yard.
- Write down the pattern: which drains, in what order, and whether it's happened before.
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage that came up.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Every drain slow at once | Blockage or damage in the main line |
| Lowest tub or shower backs up first | Main blocked past that fixture |
| Gurgling toilets | Partial blockage downstream |
| Clog back within weeks | Roots at a clay joint or corroded iron |
| Sewer odor near the foundation | Crack or open joint in the line |
In Selma's older homes, the camera most often shows roots coming in at clay joints, rough and narrowed cast iron, or a section that has shifted. Newer homes are more likely to show a settled low spot. Whatever the finding, ask the plumber to show you the footage and the distance to each problem; that's what a repair plan is built on, and it keeps the conversation about the actual pipe rather than guesses.
What affects the cost
- Cleanout access, or entering through a toilet or roof vent
- Cutting roots or clearing a clog before filming
- How long the line is
- Locating and a saved copy of the footage
For a repair that needs a permit, the first step in Selma is zoning approval from the Town of Selma planning department, then Johnston County Building Inspections in Smithfield.
Sewer Camera Inspection questions in Selma
What does an older sewer pipe look like on camera?
Why does my main line keep clogging after it's been cleared?
Sewage is coming up a drain. Who should I call first?
Who handles the permit if the camera finds damage that needs fixing?
More plumbing services in Selma
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