Video cameras have become one of the most valuable tools in the plumbing business. Specially made fiber optic cameras allow for a visual inspection of underground sewer lines and other piping allowing technicians to determine the condition of the inside of the pipe. A flexible rod with a high-resolution video camera on its tip is inserted into the pipe for inspection. Video images are transmitted to the camera operator and can be saved onto a videotape for a permanent record. Radio transmitters on the camera record the depth and physical location from the surface so that defects and obstructions can be corrected cost effectively.

Video cameras have also been used to locate lost jewelry and other valuables, as well as animals that have become lost or trapped in pipes.