What this site is
PipeScope Lab publishes buying guides and reference material for sewer cameras, pipe inspection systems and locating equipment sold in the United States.
We exist because this category is unusually badly served. Listings are inconsistent, the same product appears under several names, and the specification that decides whether a camera will work in your pipe, camera head diameter, is frequently buried or omitted entirely. Our guides are organized around that specification rather than around brands.
What this site is not
We are not a testing laboratory. We do not have a workshop full of pipe rigs, and we do not claim to have physically used every product we write about. Where our assessment is based on published specifications instead of hands-on use, we say so on the page.
We are not a retailer. We do not sell equipment, hold stock or handle returns. We do not accept payment for placement, and no manufacturer has editorial input into what we publish.
We are not a substitute for a licensed plumber. Our guides help you choose equipment; they do not diagnose your drainage system.
How we make money
Affiliate disclosure
PipeScope Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Some links on this site go to Amazon. If you follow one and buy something, we may receive a commission from Amazon.
The price you pay is exactly the same. Amazon pays the commission out of its own margin, it is not added to your purchase.
Rankings are independent of commission
Affiliate commissions do not determine rankings, product scores, product inclusion, or editorial conclusions.
Commission rates vary between products and categories. That variation plays no part in our rankings. Where a lower-earning product is the better fit for a stated use case, that is what we recommend, and our guides contain multiple examples, including several places where we tell readers not to buy at all and to hire a professional instead.
How we research
Our assessments are built from manufacturer specifications, product documentation, user manuals and product listing data. Where sources disagree, which happens more than you would expect, we say so instead of picking one.
Each product page records the sources consulted and the date the specifications were last verified. Our How We Evaluate page sets out the full method, including the weighting behind the PipeScope Editorial Score.
Our coverage priorities
We are building this site in stages rather than publishing thin coverage across everything at once:
- Now: Sewer cameras, the primary category and the bulk of our coverage.
- Next: Locators and sondes, which are inseparable from sewer camera buying decisions.
- Then: Pipe inspection cameras for smaller-diameter and non-sewer work.
- Later: Borescopes and inspection accessories.
We do not intend to expand into unrelated tool categories. A site that covers everything covers nothing well.
Contact
Corrections, questions and coverage suggestions are welcome. See our contact page, or read our corrections policy if you have found an error.
Our terms of use and privacy policy set out how the site operates and what data it handles.