For those purchasing a home, one of the important steps to take in your due diligence of the home buying process, is to consider investing in a sewer scope (if your prospective home is hooked up to a sewer line).
A video pipeline inspection is when a skilled sewer scope professional sends a cable into your sewer line with a camera attached to the end of the cable. The camera view is visible on a little portable machine that allows a visible inspection and marking of the discoveries as the technician watches for certain conditions, points of concern or general health of the line.
If you are present during the sewer scope, it is really an interesting procedure to watch. You can observe, real time, what your prospective home’s sewer pipe and line look like from the inside out. Sometimes you see little potato bugs crawling around, carefully woven spider webs just out of the flow of fluid cascading down the pipe and even glimpses of those clever creatures as they cling to their wily nets. At times there are tree roots in the sewer line that are reaching for water and nutrients. The technician will let you know if the roots have started to spool or knot that could lead to blockage of a smooth flow and movement of sewage and other materials. The technician can then share some suggestions in regards to roto-rooting roots out of the pipe to keep all flowing nicely.
Another thing the technician is watching for are breaks in the sewer line. Again, with the specialized equipment, the technician will be able to note the range of location of the break and show you footage of that break with the camera. This line break detail is another important piece to know about the health of your sewer line in case you make the decision to circle back around to the seller as a point of negotiation for a sewer line repair or replacement.
Many of the sewer scope services provide you with a video embedded on a CD of what was viewed or scoped during the inspection. This CD is to take with you at the conclusion of the scope and may be a very helpful piece of information if you end up having the sewer line repaired or the sellers of the home decide to hire a contractor to repair the sewer line.
So, with hope, everything will come up smelling like roses. A healthy sewer line adds to a wonderful home buying experience and a life enriched by having the opportunity to see what few others ever get to see—the inside of your pipes.
