The second sailor replied, "Yeah, and you're only seeing the top of it!"
The devastation that was televised only showed "the top of it."
We were selling so many sewer repairs that we had nobody to take the regular drain cleaning calls. When other plumbing companies were repairing broken pipes and replacing water heaters we were repairing sewer and lateral lines.
Insurance adjusters wanted documentation for sewer repairs. You just couldn't tell an adjuster what you suspected was going on underground. They needed proof that the damage was earthquake related before they approved any funds. The only way to do that was with video-inspection equipment. We were prepared. Half of our fleet had cameras with VCRs and a line locator on the truck at all times, 25 set-ups. Sewer videos were recorded and submitted. The adjusters loved us. We were one of only a few companies with the tools to distinguish between a long time stoppage and a fresh break in the line. They needed protection against fraudulent earthquake claims. On the other hand, often times it worked to the favor of the homeowner. I negotiated prices and the scope of work needed with numerous insurance companies. When we settled a dispute for our customers, the job was ours. We had a tremendous advantage over plumbing companies that didn't utilize cameras and locators.
The pressure was on for sub-surface diagnostic equipment. Plumbers needed smaller cameras better suited for residential and commercial work and a way to pinpoint the camera head deep in the ground. Locating transmitters needed to be smaller and more powerful to reach greater depths. Seeing an image of a root system or a dislocated pipe on your monitor has little value to you if you can't pinpoint the camera that's underground. Overnight, Los Angeles became a hotbed for emerging technologies. There was, and still is a huge demand for video-inspection equipment, locators and jetters. New manufacturers sprouted, trying to fill the need. Competition increased, units became more durable and less costly. Today, cameras and line locators are becoming standard equipment on drain cleaning trucks.
Drain machines were never meant to provide a total repair, they simply alleviate the obstruction. We educated our customers with our cameras. We were able to inspect sewer systems from the inside out, while the system was in use. That was never done before on such a grand scale. Homeowners watched wide-eyed with focused curiosity. As our eyes traveled down the pipes we were able to take our customers with us. They saw what we saw. It was our job to interpret those findings and propose the best solution.
Perhaps a sewer repair or replacement, usually the latter. Cameras not only identify the immediate problem but also demonstrate upcoming difficulties. Cameras removed any doubt that the work was needed. That's the real power of an inspection camera.
Replacement pipes were usually installed the first day on the job, but we couldn't backfill. Plumbing inspectors were so busy that we had to wait several days to be signed off. Waiting made the aging trenches even more hazardous. A heavy rain would have been catastrophic. It was a chaotic time. It's difficult to communicate the urgency we all felt. I am reminded of the story of two sailors looking out over the ocean from their ship...
