Purchasing your first home is a proud, joyous, and exciting affair. When you think about purchasing a new home, you envision gleaming fresh paint, comforting rooms, and ample yard space suited for weekend family get-togethers. During your home inspection, you focus on the kitchen, roof, or living room but likely overlook what lies beneath.
That’s right. A sewer scope inspection is likely to be overlooked and is our blog’s topic.
Sewer scope inspections offer smart home buyers one of the most critical safeguards before closing a deal. They help you avoid major expenses and inconveniences in the future. Let’s explore it in detail.
What Is A Sewer Scope Inspection
A sewer scope inspection uses a miniature camera to inspect your home’s main sewer line from the inside. A camera travels inside the pipes to help inspectors identify all types of damage, including clogs, splits, and intrusions from tree roots.
Sounds simple, right? A home inspection typically misses this critical evaluation because it often escapes attention.
Many homebuyers automatically think their sewer lines are fine because they are buying a new house. Also, homeowners can rarely detect hidden problems in their property, and sewer lines are hidden from view. The cost of necessary sewer line repairs ranges from $3,000 to $6,000 or more, depending on damage intensity and their exact location.
Why Home Buyers Should Care
Buying your dream house leads to disappointment when you discover your laundry sessions trigger flooding in the basement. That’s a nightmare, and you might have to endure it when you fail to get a certified sewer scope inspection.
Here’s why it matters:
Repair expenses for sewer lines usually fall outside homeowners insurance because damage occurs naturally rather than through a specific cause, such as trees falling. Wear and tear and natural deterioration conditions are excluded from most insurance policies.
Homeowners are fully responsible for maintaining their main sewer line. A home purchase means you take full responsibility for its maintenance and upkeep, not the seller or the government.
The problem exists even in newly constructed properties. Buildings with poor construction quality, inadequate pipe connections, or hastily installed pipes will likely develop serious damage to their plumbing systems.
Signs When You Have A Sewer Line Problem
Several warning signals in your house can indicate sewer line damage, even if other aspects seem fine.
- Gurgling toilets or drains.
- Frequent clogs or slow drains.
- Offensive odors both inside and outdoors.
- Your lawn shows wet, depressed areas.
These indications often cannot be seen clearly when you conduct a walk-through inspection. A sewer scope inspection proves vital for proper identification. It shows problems that hide underground.
Tree Roots – A Latent Danger
Tree roots are the leading cause of problems affecting sewer lines. They are resilient, persistent, and drawn to wet conditions. Small breaches in your plumbing systems create easy entry points for tree roots to invade. When they enter the pipe, they grow larger to restrict drainage flow.
The US Forest Service confirms that tree roots account for 50% of sewer blockages in the United States. Therefore, think twice before skipping sewer inspections.
Do New Homes Need Sewer Scope Inspections
Yes, and there should be no ambiguity on it.
New pipes don’t necessarily mean they are damage-free despite their newness. The contractors could unknowingly leave construction waste inside them. Sewer lines may be improperly connected to the municipal systems. We’ve seen it all.
A brand-new product does not necessarily mean it is right in every detail.
How A Certified Sewer Scope Inspection Is Done
In a certified sewer scope inspection, you can anticipate these key elements from a professional.
- A miniature evaluation camera is inserted in the main sewer line.
- The inspector views the recorded content.
- You will receive a detailed report and video footage showing the condition of the pipes.
Based on the inspection report, you can prepare your case for pipe repair from the seller or scrap the deal if there are severe problems.
The inspection might take less than an hour, but it will prevent major problems.
When Do You Need An Inspection
Your general home inspection is the ideal opportunity to schedule a sewer scope inspection. Homes built on slab foundations or situated in mature, tree-filled communities should always get a sewer inspection.
In any case, it is a good idea to periodically have a sewer inspection. Once every 1-2 years is a good frequency of inspections.
The Bottom Line
Despite appearing flawless outside, houses may have problems beneath the surface. Getting a sewer scope inspection costs little but provides strong benefits to homeowners. It saves your wallet from unknown repair bills and provides comfort and peace of mind.
Don’t take things for granted, especially when you cannot see the trouble spots.
Conclusion
Buying a house is the largest monetary decision in an individual’s lifetime. A sewer scope inspection gives you a complete picture before purchasing a new home. It delivers value because it is speedy, costs less than other inspections, and uncovers information that escapes standard inspections.
All property buyers must have a sewer scope inspection before purchasing any home, regardless of the construction date. You will be grateful you made this choice in the future.
Top to Bottom Services delivers certified sewer scope inspections, which reveal the complete situation and what lies beneath the surface to home buyers. Skilled inspectors rely on cutting-edge equipment and thorough report delivery to help you decide confidently.
Book your sewer scope inspection now with us to prevent costly surprises from popping up later. Our team is here to safeguard your assets from foundation to surface.
Contact Top to Bottom Services now to schedule your inspection and get all the information you deserve to know.
