While not required by InterNACHI, a lot of home inspection companies will provide a sewer scope inspection as an additional service. However, a lot of people are unaware of what a sewer scope inspection is! Would you a sewer scope inspection benefit you and your potential future home? Let’s find out!
A sewer scope is a videoed inspection of the lateral sewer line of the home, leading somewhere around the foundation and all the way to the city, HOA tap, or septic tank. A lateral sewer line is the home’s pipeline that connects the property to the public, main sewer line, HOA tap, or septic tank.
The largest benefit of running a sewer scope is the ability to uncover blockages, any damage the pipe system has incurred, and any other potential pipe-line related issues. The information gathered from a sewer scope inspection can be vital information for a potential home buyer or the homeowner in identifying and repairing potentially urgent damages, and for negotiations before closing on the sale of the home.
You should absolutely get the sewer line inspected before you close on a home. Simply put, a sewer scope inspection is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to the alternative. Sewer repairs are extremely costly, and the typical cost for a sewer line doesn’t exist. It could be a few hundred dollars to snake out a blockage… or it could be tens of thousands of dollars to excavate the yard and replace all the pipes. Tens of thousands of dollars that could have been avoided with a $200-$300 inspection! Chances are that your inspector won’t find anything wrong with the sewer, but there is value in peace of mind. Wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?
