Why I Usually Recommend a Sewer Scope, Even on a Newer House
A general home inspection covers a lot. The inspector looks at the roof, electrical system, plumbing, heating and cooling, structure, appliances and a long list of other things.
But there's an important piece of plumbing they usually can't tell you much about by walking around the house: the sewer line between the house and wherever it connects to the sewer system.
That's why I usually recommend a sewer scope when you're buying a house. And no, I don't limit that recommendation to old houses.
What Is a Sewer Scope?
A sewer scope is pretty straightforward. A qualified professional runs a small camera through the property's sewer line and records what the camera sees.
We're looking for things such as damage, blockages, root intrusion, offsets between sections of pipe, low spots where water collects and other conditions that may affect how the line works. The scope can also give us useful information about the type and condition of the pipe.
We're essentially inspecting something important that we otherwise can't see. That seems like a pretty reasonable thing to do before you own it.
Sewer Problems Can Be Expensive
This is the main reason I recommend the inspection. A sewer line isn't particularly interesting when it's working properly. When it isn't, it can become very interesting very quickly.
The repair might be relatively minor. Or it might involve excavation, replacement of a substantial section of pipe, work beneath landscaping or pavement, or another repair that costs real money. The price depends on the problem, where it is, how accessible it is and what repair method makes sense.
I don't need to assume the worst. I just want to know what we're dealing with before the inspection period is over.
Older Houses Give Us Some Obvious Reasons to Look
With an older house, the recommendation probably isn't surprising. The sewer line may have been in the ground for decades. Depending on the age of the property, it may also be made from materials we don't commonly use for new residential sewer lines today.
Trees can matter too. A mature yard is nice. Mature tree roots are less charming when they find their way into a sewer line.
Age, materials, previous repairs and surrounding conditions can all give us reasons to take a closer look. But none of that means newer automatically equals problem-free.
I Recommend It on Newer Houses Too
I've heard variations of: **The house is only five years old. Why would I pay to scope the sewer?**
Because five-year-old things can still have problems. A newer line can have an installation issue. Soil can move. A connection can separate. Construction debris can create a problem. Something may have been damaged during construction or later work around the property.
The odds of finding certain age-related problems should obviously be lower in a newer house. That's not the same thing as saying the odds are zero. For the relatively limited cost and inconvenience of a sewer scope, I generally think the information is worth having.
The Camera Doesn't Necessarily Give Us the Final Answer
Like a general home inspection, a sewer scope can identify a concern without necessarily telling us everything we need to know about it. Suppose the camera shows a section that appears damaged or significantly offset. Now we have something specific to investigate.
We may need a sewer contractor to evaluate repair options. In some situations, we may want another opinion about the severity of the condition or what actually needs to be done.
I also pay attention to who is giving the recommendation. A company that both diagnoses sewer problems and sells sewer replacements may be perfectly competent and completely straightforward. But when someone recommends an expensive repair that they also happen to sell, I don't think there's anything wrong with considering another qualified opinion before making a major decision.
That's not unique to sewer lines. It's just a sensible way to handle expensive repairs.
Don't Confuse an Imperfect Pipe With a Failed Pipe
The purpose of the sewer scope isn't to prove that an older sewer line looks brand new. It probably won't. A camera may show joints, deposits, roots or other conditions that deserve discussion without necessarily meaning the entire line needs to be replaced tomorrow.
I want to understand what the person performing the scope actually found. Is the line functioning? Is there active damage? Is there a recurring blockage risk? Is maintenance appropriate? Is repair recommended? Is replacement recommended? And why?
Those questions are more useful than simply hearing, “There are roots in the line,” and assuming we already know the solution.
If There's a Problem, We Still Have to Decide What to Do About It
Finding something during the inspection doesn't automatically dictate what happens next. The executed purchase contract matters. The severity of the problem matters. The likely cost and available repair options matter. And what you're comfortable taking on matters.
Depending on the circumstances, we may want additional evaluation. A buyer may decide to raise the issue during the inspection process. The parties may discuss repair, price, a credit or another solution permitted by the contract. Or the buyer may decide the condition isn't significant enough to change anything.
The sewer scope gives us information. It doesn't make the decision for you.
It's One of the Additional Inspections I Usually Recommend
A general home inspection is still the starting point for me, but it can't inspect everything. Radon testing and a sewer scope are two additional inspections I commonly recommend because they give us information about things the general inspection usually can't establish by itself.
That doesn't mean every house has a radon problem, and it doesn't mean every sewer line is damaged. I'd be delighted if we paid for the sewer scope and the report essentially said: **Everything looks fine.**
That's not wasted money. When you're about to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house, finding out that an important pipe buried underground appears to be doing its job is a perfectly useful result.