The Importance of Sewer Inspection in Home Maintenance
One of the most important, yet often overlooked, parts of home maintenance is having your sewer line regularly inspected. As a homeowner, the health of your Sewer Inspection is essential to the overall functionality of your home’s plumbing system. In this blog post, we’ll explore why sewer inspection is so vital for homeowners and provide key information on how it protects the value and function of your biggest investment – your home.
Why Your Sewer Needs Regular Inspection
Out of sight and out of mind – that’s often the case when it comes to home sewer lines. Unlike water lines that deliver fresh water to your fixtures, waste water removal happens quietly through a network of underground sewer pipes. But just because you can’t see your sewer line doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore it.
Over time, a variety of issues ranging from cracks, blockages from tree roots, general wear and tear, and even complete collapses can disrupt your sewer line functionality. Sewer issues lead to messy, unhealthy and potentially hazardous situations like:
- Backups of raw sewage into your home
- Flooding of your yard with waste water
- Contamination of soil and groundwater with disease-causing bacteria
Catching sewer problems early is key to avoiding catastrophic line failures. This is why regular Sewer Inspection is so important.
What Does Sewer Inspection Entail?
There are two main methods for inspecting residential sewer pipes:
- Hydro Scrub – Uses water jets to propel rotating chains with attached scrappers down the line. Perfect for initial inspection to understand pipe condition.
- Video Camera Inspection – The most common and thorough option, this scoped visual inspection clearly shows current pipe condition, obstructions, root intrusion, cracks, leaks and more.
Professional sewer scopes utilize a flexible fiber optic cable with a waterproof camera to deliver a live visual inspection. The camera snakes its way through your pipes while the technician examines the interior condition above ground on a video monitor.
Sewer scoping gives homeowners and property inspectors the best possible look inside pipes to determine necessary next steps. Video documentation also provides helpful before/after comparisons for repairs down the road.
What Are They Looking For?
There are many potential problems that can be detected during sewer inspection. The most common include:
Blockages: Solid obstructions like tree roots, waste buildup and foreign objects can partially or fully clog sewer pipes, leading to flow restriction and backing up. Even small blockages left untreated allow for additional debris to collect over time.
Pipe Damage: Cracks, holes and ruptures in sewer pipes compromise structural integrity and allow for soil, groundwater and root intrusion which accelerates deterioration. Pipe damage can originate from shifting foundations, corrosion and general wear and tear.
Misalignments: Poor installation or ground shifting over time can misaligned pipes at joints, causing restrictive flow or separation. Bellies and dips can also develop, creating waste buildup.
Root Intrusion: Opportunistic roots seek out minute cracks and joints, burrowing into pipes attracted by the warm, moist environment. Left unchecked tree roots cause major clogs and breaks. Professional root removal may be required in addition to Sewer Inspection.
Is Professional Inspection Necessary?
While a handy homeowner could attempt running their own camera for minor drain line inspection, sewer lines have specialized access needs, tricky angles and intersections that make professional scoping far superior for thorough evaluation.
The right inspector brings high quality, advanced camera equipment and decades of specialized expertise recognizing subtle issues the untrained eye would miss. They also take safety precautions like venting toxic gases that can be deadly if encountered in high concentrations.
Technicians provide actionable recommendations based on inspection findings, saving homeowners from reactionary guesses on necessary repairs. All reasons why Sewer Inspection should be left to the professionals.
What Should I Do After My Inspection Report?
You’ll receive a detailed report assessing the overall condition of your pipes and noting any problem areas requiring attention after your sewer inspection. Use these results as an opportunity to be proactive.
For minor issues like small roots or single cracks, schedule a follow up inspection in a year to monitor. For pipes deemed in fair or poor condition, it’s best to move ahead with rehabilitation or replacement, especially if over 10 years old.
Work with reputable sewer repair contractors to develop both short and long term pipe refurbishment plans tailored to your unique situation. The goal is to ensure the health of your sewer pipe infrastructure to avoid failures down the road.
