Sewer Scope Inspection

Common causes of issues and damage to sewer piping include:

1. Tree roots, forceful or invasive roots – You should get a sewer drain scope inspection if you have large trees near your sewer system. This inspection will ensure that the roots are not pushing on, or pushing into your pipes.
2. Aged or outdated materials in older houses – If your house is over 20 years old, it may have clay or Orangeburg Pipe sewer piping which are brittle and prone to breaking and disintegrating.
3. Broken pipes or misaligned joints – If you have lush patches of grass or constant wet spots in your yard, this is a common sign that your pipes have issues. This could be a break in your sewer piping or a shifting in the joints which will misalign at the connections.
4. Clogged pipes – If there is water backing up into your house, or foul smells coming from your sewer line, you may have a clogged pipe.

While a sewer scope inspection does not have to be during a real estate transaction, most of the time this is when it occurs. Sewer scope inspections are also generally not included in the typical home inspection and are additional inspections a client should order.

What Is The Sewer Scope Inspection and Process Like?

During the sewer scope inspection, our inspector will use a specially designed camera with a flexible cable to view the inside of your drain. Sometimes, although rare, our inspector might need to remove a toilet to access the sewer line.
The inspection generally takes roughly 30 minutes and the entire inspection is typically recorded. Our inspector can usually report the findings after the inspection, but you should wait for the final report for pictures and the conclusive findings to make decisions on what to do next.

Signs You Need A Sewer Scope

If you currently own your home, consider looking for the following to see if you need a sewer scope inspection:

• Back up of water – This could indicate damage or breakage to the sewer line, or a significant clog.
• Large mature trees near the drain line – One of the most common causes of sewer pipe damage is the growth of roots around the pipe. Roots can grow around and constrict the pipe, breaking it, or grow into small cracks in the pipe, clogging it or causing leaks.
• Older Homes (Pre-1970) – Older homes are more likely to have sewers that are degraded and damaged.
• Movement in Structure – If the soil around a house seems to have shifted, the pipe may have been affected. If it has moved, it could have broken or become bent and damaged, which may require a costly repair.

If You Are Buying A Home?

We recommend getting a sewer scope inspection whenever you are purchasing a home, but especially when the home was built before 1970. This is because homes older than 1970 may have drain lines built with materials that are known to have damage or could easily become damaged over time.

These drain lines are too old to be used today and usually need replacement. They can suffer from root damage, rust, and degradation- ultimately causing backups or sewer smells in the home.

We also recommend these inspections on new construction homes. This is because the sewers were just installed and not tested. It’s not uncommon for new construction drain lines to be cracked or improperly installed.

Overall, the cost of having to possibly replace your sewer drains far outweighs the cost of the sewer scope inspection.