So your thinking, “I don’t know what a sewer line or sewer inspection is!” That’s okay! Neither do most people.

What decade was your main sewer line last checked? For many, it is decades! Well before modern sewer camera and scope technology could reveal a photo of the pipes revealing all the roots of our tree lined streets.

We will outline Details about your main sewer line and problems associated with them here.

• What is a Main Sewer Line?

• The Big reasons a Sewer Inspection should be done.

• What are Sewer Pipes and what are they made from?

• Why Sewer Pipes Fail.

• What a Sewer Scope and Sewer Inspection see and do.

The sewer line is a really important pipe that carries water and sewage from your home to the city or county services. It is an important part of your plumbing system. The sewer line is typically made of cast iron or plastic and is buried under your home. If you are a home buyer, you should request that a sewer line inspection be done on your home.

 Why? A sewer line inspection will ensure that the sewer line is in good condition and that the water and sewage are being carried through the line in a safe manner..

The sewer line is a really important pipe that carries water and sewage from your home to the city or county services. It is an important part of your plumbing system. The sewer line is typically made of cast iron or plastic and is buried under your home. If you are a home buyer, you should request that a sewer line inspection be done on your home.

Why do you need a Sewer Line Inspection?

A sewer line inspection will ensure that the sewer line is in good condition and that the water and sewage are being carried through the line in a safe manner.

Most people do not keep up on sewer maintenance or get regular sewer inspections. Many homes have sewer lines that are not in good condition and can lead to serious plumbing problems. Sewer lines are often ignored because they are not as important as other parts of the plumbing system within the home.

Did you know that many sewer lines are old and have roots that have penetrated the main sewer-line pipe.  The sewer line hasn’t been inspected since before Easy Rider was released on the big screen? Yes, really!

A sewer inspection with a sewer scope will determine if the sewer line is in good condition and if the water is able to flow. Modern video equipment at Top Floor home inspections, see’s if there is visible damage to the main line pipe or if there are blockages.

What Are Sewer Pipes?

Freshwater comes into your house through the plumbing so you can use it for things like brushing your teeth and showering. When you’re done with it, it goes down the drain and goes through the main line (main sewer line) to the public sewer system. Homeowners are responsible for the section of pipe known as a lateral line. The main line is owned by the city or county and the lateral line is the part of the pipe that goes from the house to the main line.

What doesn’t a Sewer Scope Inspection include?

A sewer scope inspection does not include examining the pipes located under your sink or those that lead to the lateral line.

What Are Sewer Pipes Made From?

Newer plastic sewer pipes are doing a good job and often found in newer homes. The existence of sewer pipes in the greater metro Detroit area of Michigan for more than one hundred years indicates that a variety of materials could have been employed in their fabrication. Various types of pipes have been used throughout history, such as concrete, cast iron, clay, transit (concrete and asbestos).

How Do Sewer Pipes Fail?

Plastic sewer pipes made from PVC or ABS function well since soil doesn’t break them down, they are able to bend in order to accommodate normal ground shifting also. However, the older the pipes, the more problems.

The old Cast iron pipes often rust, and the lead solder at the joints can eventually fail. Concrete essentially crumbles over time, and is susceptible to cracks when normal ground shifting occurs.

Shifting eventually leads these sewer line pipes to become misaligned and no longer allow sewage flow through. This can cause backups in your home and also result in costly repairs.

Michigan’s Plentiful Tree’s Wreck Havoc!

Pipes are really susceptible to tree roots getting in and Michigan has major tree’s, hundreds of years old in many older neighborhoods. Some tree roots, create an interlocking weave over time, trapping anything that heads down the drain. This is why grease should never be poured down a sink. Overtime a major clog can build, potentially causing a backup.

If you are considering purchasing an older home, you need to see the condition as fixing a main line is very, very costly. The only way to find out the condition of your main line is to get a sewer inspection that includes a sewer scope.

What Is A Sewer Scope?

A sewer scope, also called a sewer scan or a sewer camera, is a type of camera that is sent down your lateral sewer line in order to look for problems. It show the image to your house inspectors monitor.

If there are tree roots but the pipe is unbroken and aligned with the rest of the pipe, a sewer cleaner can send down whirling blades to dislodge them. But if the pipe is misaligned (or a great deal of it is missing, in the case of concrete pipes), the potential home buyer could decide that this isn’t the house for them or negotiate a better deal.

A sewer line inspection with a scope and monitor definitely gives you a definitive answer if something is wrong with your main line.

Here’s Why Sewer Camera Inspections Matter!

Lateral line replacements are very expensive! If something goes wrong, the house will be without wastewater evacuation until it’s fixed, the entire front yard becomes a dig and you may lose trees or other landscaping. We won’t be covering the cost of main sewer line repairs in this guide. Suffice to say, it’s not something you want to gamble with. Getting a sewer inspection is affordable and a minimal cost compared to sewer line and pipe problems.