The Importance of a Sewer Inspection

Written by Expert Contributor Ryan Corbett, Master Plumber, Dream Team Home Services

If your home connects to the public sewer system, a sewer inspection can save your home and sanity, as well as money. Sewers are indeed “out of sight, out of mind,” but that doesn’t mean they should be neglected. Because many homeowners don’t know much about their sewer lateral, or how to tell if there are problems with it, they often overlook it. Neglecting it can negatively affect your pockets and your property.

Even some home inspectors overlook a sewer lateral because it’s underground. What’s even worse is that the majority of inspectors don’t have the correct specialized equipment to do a proper sewer inspection. Certified plumbers use specialized waterproof video camera snakes that are pushed through sewer lateral piping, to conduct several visual inspections.

Using this new technology makes a difference:

Professional sewer inspections are not as difficult as they used to be. You no longer have to dig up your yard to find problems. In fact, plumbers can repair/replace the sewer lateral without damaging your beautiful yard and landscaping.

Some Common Problems Found in Sewer Lines

* Buildup of Grease: Garbage disposals can cause a grease buildup, which, along with other substances, will cause blockages.

* Offset Pipes: An offset is where two sections of pipe meet but do not line up correctly.

* Tree Roots: Roots can not only offset a pipe, they can also crush it. Root intrusion is more common in older piping.

* Low Areas: When debris gathers in the low area of your sewer pipe, it disrupts the flow.

* Cracking: To avoid further damage, leaks outside of the sewer pipe can lead to settlement of the line, so they should be repaired right away.

* Pipe Collapse: Although a pipe collapse is uncommon, it can happen due to any of the issues above, and in almost every case, your line will need to be replaced.

By having a proper camera sewer inspection, you will learn about unknown problems that could or would lead to more serious repairs. By eliminating the guesswork, plumbers will discover potential problems before they cause severe damage.

The sewer lateral is an important part of your home, so do your “homework” before moving forward. A sewer lateral inspection should be done by a certified sewer inspection contractor because they will have the correct specialized equipment to inspect it properly.

Ryan Corbett, Master Plumber

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