More often than not, your bathroom sink is not draining because it’s partially clogged with hair and soap scum, but there are other reasons why you could be experiencing this headache.

Some possible reasons for a slow draining bathroom sink, tub or shower that’s not clogged with hair include:

• Main sewer line clog causing backups in other drains throughout the house
• Vents in plumbing drain system are clogged
• Old sewer system pipes starting to deteriorate or corrode

The best way to determine the cause of a slow or stopped drain is with a video camera inspection. During this inspection, the plumbing technician threads a flexible cable with a high-resolution video camera on its tip into your sewer line from an access point. The video camera travels up, down and around corners, through pipes that may not have been easily accessed any other way.

Transmitting real-time images to a monitor, the plumbing technician can show you exactly what’s causing the slow draining sink, bathtub or shower. After determining the condition of the pipe, together you can discuss the best approach for addressing the problem. This is the main advantage of a video pipe inspection: you won’t pay for costly repairs you don’t need because you’ll know exactly what the problem is and where it is located. You won’t have to waste time or money trying different solutions to fix a problem you’re unsure of.