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Sewer Line Inspections

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A sewer line inspection uses a camera attached to a cable that is dropped into the sewer line from an access point and pushed toward the sewer drop to examine and record conditions from the house to the sewer drop or septic tank. This privately-owned pipeline leads from the house to the septic tank or most often, the publicly owned main sewer line. A Sewer scope inspection can reveal damage to the pipes, blockages, and other conditions that can interfere with waste flow and cause system failure. It also can spot potential problem areas before they develop into serious conditions or hazards. Our technician will provide you with a report with pictures, videos, and recommendations.

Do I need a Sewer Line Inspection?

Yes, we recommend that every home has a sewer line inspection. The sewer line is one of the most critical organs of a healthy home and oftentimes one of the most expensive to remedy. Foregoing a sewer line inspection is like buying a used car and not turning the engine over or taking it for a test drive. The car may look great inside and out but if you need a new transmission, you’ll be opening your wallet again unnecessarily.

But don’t take it from us, this is what Master Plumber Dick Ray has to say about it:

“You might wonder, “Do I need a sewer line inspection before buying a house?” The answer is yes. A sewer inspection should be a mandatory part of your house inspection checklist. When considering what inspections to get when buying a house, do not overlook the sewer line. In fact, getting a sewer inspection is one of the most important home inspection tips for first-time buyers. Sewer line inspections are cheap, but sewer repairs can be extremely expensive. Why spend the money on a repair when you could have avoided with a simple inspection?

There’s no such thing as a typical cost for repairing your sewer lines. It can start at a few hundred dollars to snake out a blockage or it could be tens of thousands of dollars to excavate your yard and replace the pipes. The repair bills depend on the sewer line condition, the problem’s location, and the root cause.

No pun intended, but speaking of roots, tree roots are the primary cause of blocked sewer lines. Fortunately, roots are easy to find with a closed-circuit television inspection. Unfortunately, they can be very expensive to dig up and clear out. Having the sewer line scoped should be on your house-buying inspection checklist. In fact, you can’t afford not to inspect the sewer line before closing your house purchase deal.”

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Does a new house, a recent build, or a remodeled house need a sewer line inspection?

Yes, we recommend every house get a sewer line inspection. We have found conditions on new builds that haven’t been occupied yet. How is that possible? It’s not just age that causes a sewer line to fail, there are multiple reasons that would even make a new build susceptible to failure.

Here are just a few conditions that may compromise brand new sewer lines:

  • Heavy Construction traffic above from concrete trucks to Bobcats can cause pipes to move below them and create bellies or low spots. One of the worst bellies that we ever encountered was on a new build right at the curb of the street where concrete trucks were pounding the ground overhead.
  • Landscapers are notorious for hitting a line below where they are digging to and neglecting to inform the foreman or homeowner.
  • Improper install: If the pipe isn’t supported or the ground around the sewer line not compacted correctly, the line may have conditions.
  • Tradesman/Sub-Contractors: Oftentimes the different trades will clean their equipment into new drains and unknowingly clog the lines with grout, mortar, or construction waste and the homeowner won’t notice until he moves in, and the shower starts to backup. This condition is often the case with a flipped or remodeled house as well.

But the Seller’s Agent said the plumbing was replaced during the remodel:

On several occasions, we have heard that the plumbing was replaced during the remodel only to find that only the supply lines were replaced but the home still had the original drainage system in place. On other occasions, the sewer line was only partially replaced, but a sewer line is like a chain – only as strong as it’s weakest link, and if the lines in the house have been updated but the line in the yard or under the driveway/patio is still original, conditions will persist. If there has been updating, there will be documentation to go along with it but a visual confirmation is still recommended because the sewer line may still be under warranty and if there is a condition, it can be remedied at little to no cost to the buyer.

Inspect The Best is a full-service inspection firm that provides service for home buyers, sellers, agents, and other inspection firms.  Our Sewer Line Inspections provide our clients with crucial information that may expose safety or functional deficiencies or simply grant peace of mind. Our services are available to homebuyers, homeowners, and business owners in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Chandler, Mesa, Glendale, Peoria, and the surrounding areas of Arizona

Contact us at 480-203-8804 to get a free quote on a sewer inspection today. Discounts available for service at the time of a scheduled home inspection.

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Inspect the Best

AZBTR Certified Inspector with Supr Lockbox Access

INSPECT THE BEST is a Commercial and Residential inspection company. We also offer Sewer Scopes inspection. Inspect the Best has been in the inspection business for over 22 years. We have a lifetime of experience in the construction industry.  That is what set us apart from the rest!

We do inspect the best!

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inspectthebestaz@gmail.com

480-203-8804

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Inspect the Best provides Residential Home Inspections, Pre-Listing Inspections, Commercial Inspections and Radon Testing for The Valley – Scottsdale area Phoenix area and beyond

Arizona Residential and Commercial Inspections

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