Diamond Home Inspections | Home Inspection 612-223-5387
What is a Sewer Scope?
How much time do you spend thinking about your sewer line? We think about it a lot… As part of our independent inspection services, Diamond Home Inspection offers video inspection of a home’s sewer line also known as a sewer scope. Understanding the condition of the underground sewer drain line and knowing the extent and location of a particular problem will be a key part of a decision in purchasing a home. This same independent and unbiased information also applies to current home owners who suspect that they have a problem and need to be prepared before hiring a contractor for repairs. We have seen costly issues on many of our Sewer Scope Inspections.
Common defects found in a Sewer Scope:
- Low Areas: also known as a ‘belly’, these low areas can collect water and solid waste, causing poor flow through the pipe and can lead to back-up and damage to the pipe as it sags further.
- Offsets: on some older piping, sections in the piping can separate, causing an offset in the piping to occur. Solid waste may not clear this offset, and waste water will seep into the surrounding soil, causing further settlement and eventual breakdown of the piping.
- Tree Roots: small gaps in sections of piping can allow tree roots to enter the sewer line. As the roots grow, the pipe can break and crack, requiring repair. Minor tree root intrusion can be rooted and cleared on a regular basis, with minimal or no significant pipe damage. Assessing the amount of root intrusion is part of a sewer scope inspection.
- Pipe Collapse: if extreme root intrusion has occurred or significant soil settlement has occurred around the area due to offsets or a low area, complete pipe collapse can occur, requiring full excavation and repair of the sewer line. While rare, this condition can be assessed as part of a sewer scope inspection.
- Debris: Occasionally construction debris or other items can become lodged in the sewer line, preventing the flow of waste through the pipe.
Diamond Home Inspections | Home Inspection 612-223-5387