Sewer scopes can help homeowners check the condition of their sewer line during regular maintenance, when there are problems, or when buying a home. A regular home inspection doesn’t normally include a look at the sewer line. Sewer line repairs can be costly, and a sewer scope is critical to see where any problems may be and assess the easiest way to mitigate them.
What types of pipes are there?
Most of the problems listed below can be mitigated with good maintenance.
How does a sewer camera inspection (sewer scope) work?
A cable with a sewer camera on the end is fed into the sewer line. The video feed is recorded and analyzed by our professionals who will point out things of importance in real-time. You will get a copy of this video for your records. Typically, there are 4 types of issues that you will see in a sewer inspection.
Bellies – A “belly” is a small dip in the line. Depending on the belly, its position to the main line, the type of pipe that it’s in (see our sewer type page for more info) and its depth, these may not be of concern. There are numerous sewer lines with low spots that have been maintained for years. If the belly is causing problems, we can discuss ways to mitigate it with you.
Roots – It’s common for roots to grow into a sewer line. It’s also common for people to assume that, when they see roots in the line, it means the entire line needs to be replaced. This isn’t true, and there’s no need to spend thousands of dollars unless it’s necessary. By performing sewer cleaning the problem is usually resolved. We usually do this by Hydro-Jetting the line. (see our Hydro Jet page for more information). We can use also use a sewer snake to clean the lines as well. (see our snake page for more information).
Joints – Joints in the sewer lines can be mistaken for breaks. Joints are usually smooth and occur at regular intervals. Roots can penetrate lines at the joints.
Breaks – Breaks in the line look jagged, and you’ll typically see debris at the break. Holes also may be visible in the pipe.
