A borescope is a camera connected to a flexible neck, which in turn connects to a screen. To use a borescope, you put the camera under a door, through a vent, into a pipe, or into any opening to allow you to see what is on the other side of a wall, what it looks like inside of a duct, etc. While you may have seen borescopes in movies used by police to see what suspects are doing behind a closed door, there are also residential and commercial uses for borescopes.

Borescopes in Plumbing

Sometimes it is hard to identify the source of a clog or leak, especially when the problem is hidden behind a wall or underground. A plumber could insert a borescope down a drain and extend the camera down until the problem comes into view. In this way, a plumber can estimate how far down the drain the problem is and figure out what needs to be done to take care of it. With this information, the plumber can limit the amount of wall that needs to be torn up or yard that needs to be dug up to make a repair. 

Borescopes and Ducts

Leaky ducts can have a detrimental effect on your HVAC efficiency. As air leaks out of your ducts, it decrease the volume of air available to condition the air in your home. In this way, a leaky duct system can decrease your system efficiency by up to 40%. If your ducts are enclosed inside the walls of your home, you will have a hard time locating the source of the leaks. Duct contractors can insert a borescope through a vent and then use it to inspect the inside of your ducts and get an idea of whether you have leaks or not. 

Borescopes and Engine Repair

Getting a view of a combustion chamber or of other components of an engine will help a mechanic to determine what sort of repairs are required. Thus, a borescope can be an important diagnostic tool in a car shop. 

If you work in plumbing, ducts, or mechanics, you should consider adding an articulating or flexible borescope to your gear. In that a borescope will allow you to get a view of places that you otherwise would not be able to inspect, it is invaluable tool. While a borescope is not necessarily an inexpensive piece of equipment, it will help you to expand your business and improve the quality of service that you can provide, so its purchase is worth the cost.