Well Video Inspection Services in San Diego County
What's happening 200 feet underground in your well? Until recently, the only way to know was to pull the pump and hope you could spot problems during the brief window when the well was open. Today, downhole video inspection gives us a crystal-clear view inside your well, revealing casing damage, obstructions, pump conditions, and water entry zones without disassembling your entire system.
Southern California Well Service uses professional-grade well cameras to diagnose problems, assess well condition, and make informed recommendations. Whether you're troubleshooting declining production, investigating water quality changes, or evaluating a well before purchasing property, video inspection provides the answers you need to make smart decisions.
What Well Video Inspection Reveals
A well camera is essentially an underwater endoscope—a high-resolution camera on a cable that we lower into your well to record real-time video. The camera can pan and tilt to examine specific features, and integrated lighting illuminates the well bore even at significant depths.
The inspection reveals conditions that would otherwise remain invisible:
- Casing Condition: Corrosion, holes, cracks, or separated joints that allow contamination.
- Obstructions: Debris, collapsed sections, or foreign objects blocking the well.
- Pump Condition: Visible damage, wear, or sediment buildup on pump components.
- Screen Condition: Clogged, corroded, or damaged well screens reducing water flow.
- Water Entry Zones: Where water actually enters the well from the aquifer.
- Biofilm and Deposits: Bacterial slime, mineral scale, or iron bacteria buildup.
- Drop Pipe Condition: Corrosion or damage to the pipe connecting pump to surface.
- Well Depth: Actual depth versus recorded depth, sediment accumulation at bottom.
When to Consider Video Inspection
Video inspection isn't needed for every well service call, but certain situations make it invaluable. The visual evidence it provides often saves money by identifying the exact problem rather than guessing and potentially replacing the wrong component.
Declining Well Production
If your well's output has gradually decreased, video inspection can reveal whether the problem is pump-related, screen clogging, or changes in the aquifer itself. This information determines whether rehabilitation might restore production or if other solutions are needed.
Water Quality Changes
Sudden changes in water quality—sediment, discoloration, or odors—often indicate casing failure allowing surface water or shallow groundwater to enter the well. Video inspection locates the breach point so repairs can be targeted precisely.
Recurring Pump Failures
When pumps fail repeatedly, the cause often lies in well conditions rather than the pump itself. Sand production, debris, or corrosive water conditions visible on camera explain why pumps are failing and guide solutions to prevent future failures.
Real Estate Transactions
Before purchasing property with a private well, video inspection provides critical information about well condition. This protects buyers from inheriting expensive problems and gives sellers documentation of well condition. Many lenders and home inspectors now recommend or require well inspections for properties with private water systems.
Pre-Rehabilitation Assessment
Before investing in well rehabilitation—cleaning, hydrofracturing, or deepening—video inspection confirms the well is a good candidate for rehabilitation. There's no point cleaning a well with severe casing damage or other structural problems that rehabilitation won't address.
The Video Inspection Process
Our video inspection process is designed to provide maximum information with minimal disruption to your water system. Most inspections can be completed in 2-4 hours, depending on well depth and complexity.
- System Shutdown: We turn off the pump and allow water levels to stabilize.
- Camera Preparation: We calibrate the camera and verify lighting and recording systems.
- Initial Descent: The camera descends slowly, recording conditions from surface to bottom.
- Detailed Examination: We pause at areas of interest to examine conditions more closely.
- Documentation: Depth markers on the video allow precise location of any findings.
- Report Generation: We provide video footage and a written summary of observations.
Understanding Your Inspection Results
After the inspection, we review the video with you and explain what we observed. We'll point out any concerns, rate the overall well condition, and discuss implications for your water system. Our goal is to give you the information needed to make informed decisions about maintenance, repairs, or replacement.
Common Findings
- Normal Mineral Deposits: Light mineral scaling on casing is common and rarely problematic.
- Iron Bacteria Buildup: Reddish-brown slime indicating iron bacteria colonization—treatable with chlorination.
- Casing Corrosion: Ranging from surface pitting to through-holes—severity determines repair options.
- Joint Separation: Gaps between casing sections that allow contamination entry.
- Screen Clogging: Mineral or bacterial deposits reducing water entry—often cleanable.
- Sediment Accumulation: Sand or silt filling the bottom of the well—may indicate casing breach.
Video Inspection for Different Well Types
San Diego County features diverse well construction types, each with unique inspection considerations:
Steel Cased Wells
Most common in the region, steel casing is durable but susceptible to corrosion over decades. Video inspection reveals corrosion progression, helping predict remaining service life and plan for eventual re-casing or replacement.
PVC Cased Wells
Modern PVC casing doesn't corrode but can crack from ground movement or fail at joints. Video inspection identifies joint problems and physical damage that visual inspection from the surface cannot detect.
Open Borehole Wells
Some wells in stable bedrock formations have no casing below the surface seal. Video inspection of these wells reveals fracture patterns, water entry points, and any unstable rock that might be sloughing into the borehole.
Limitations of Video Inspection
While video inspection provides invaluable information, it does have limitations:
- Murky Water: Heavy sediment or turbidity can reduce visibility.
- Pump Obstruction: Full inspection below the pump requires pulling the pump first.
- Small Diameter Wells: Some older wells are too narrow for modern cameras.
- Hidden Damage: Corrosion on the outside of casing isn't visible from inside.
In some cases, we may recommend pulling the pump before inspection to allow complete evaluation of the entire well bore. This adds cost but provides complete information.
Cost-Benefit of Video Inspection
Video inspection costs a fraction of pump replacement or well rehabilitation—typically a few hundred dollars versus thousands. When it prevents unnecessary work or identifies the exact repair needed, the return on investment is substantial.
Consider: replacing a pump that's actually fine while ignoring casing damage that's causing the real problem wastes money and doesn't solve the issue. Video inspection first ensures you're fixing the actual problem.
Combining Video with Other Diagnostic Tools
Video inspection often works best combined with other diagnostic methods for a complete well assessment:
- Water Quality Testing: Identifies contamination that video may explain.
- Flow Testing: Measures production while video reveals structural reasons for changes.
- Water Level Measurements: Static and pumping levels compared to visual observations.
- Pump Testing: Electrical and performance testing complements visual pump inspection.
Want to see what's happening inside your well? Contact Southern California Well Service at (760) 463-0493 or visit www.scwellservice.com to schedule a professional well video inspection. Clear answers for your water system questions.
