Sewer pipes are underground, hidden away from view. When most people flush a toilet, they have no idea where the water goes. There is no way to know the condition of your sewer pipe until it clogs, and backs up into your home.
At IM Home Inspections, we have the tools to see down the sewer pipe and give you an accurate view, with video, of a home’s sewer pipe so you know if you have a problem, a potential for a problem, or an actual clean line. We can send a special camera down the “main drain line” of your house from the cleanout to where it connects to the utility sewer system. A link to the color video will be in your report, along with descriptions of what was seen. This video will show if the line is clear, clogged, broken, collapsed, or damaged.
There is no way to tell if a sewer line has roots, damage, or other problems without a video scope. Merely flushing the toilets and running the water in the kitchen and sinks can not detect partial blockages, roots, or cracks.
Because we do not offer any repairs of any kind, our sewer scope inspections are unbiased and for your information. We have no interest in pretending the pipes have a made-up problem to try to upsell a repair.
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Why Use IM Home Inspections for Your Sewer inspection?
- Self-Leveling Camera – no need to crank your neck awkwardly as the camera spins down the pipe, or having to view videos upside down. IM Home Inspections uses a camera that keeps the video level.
- No bias. As IM Home Inspections is a home inspector, not a plumber hoping to sell you repair work, you can be assured your inspection is completely unbiased.
- Unlike many plumbers who handwrite their reports, the sewer inspection report will be part of the computer-generated home inspection report. Problems will be clearly identified, along with a link to the full video.
- IM Home Inspections is certified by InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors in sewer inspections.
Why should I pay for a sewer inspection? Won’t clogged drain lines be found during the inspection?
Home inspectors run clear water down the drains. We flush toilets, run tubs, and showers, faucets, dishwashers, etc. But we do not flush anything down the drains such as toilet paper or other bulky material (such as food particles or human waste). Inspectors cannot simulate the use of a family during an inspection. A drain that may drain adequately with clear water may quickly become clogged with toilet paper if there are roots in the line or if rust causes debris to cling to the inside of the pipe. The only way to “see” the condition of a drain line is by sticking a camera down the drain.
How do I determine if I need a sewer line inspection?
We recommend a sewer inspection on all houses. Even newer homes can have problems ranging from bad glue joints to low spots that collect waste or excess fat from grease having been poured down the drain. Older drain lines are more susceptible to damage by roots from mature trees and soil movement that can damage joints in the pipe. Older homes (before 1980) are likely to have cast iron pipes that are subject to severe rust after 40 years or more. Rusted pipes can crack and allow root intrusion, or rust causing constriction. Clay pipes, which are very common in all eras of homes, can get roots.
To Book Your Home Inspection, call 818-298-3405 or book online here.