Inspections are commonplace when someone is planning to purchase a home. However, the sewer line is often overlooked by prospective buyers, even though sewer repair is one of the most expensive projects you may encounter as homeowner.
Obviously, the best time to discover if a sewer line has been damaged or needs replacement is before you purchase a home, not after the fact when it is too late to negotiate. Fortunately, there is a foolproof way to have the sewer system properly evaluated, and that is to schedule a sewer camera inspection with a plumber in Laguna Niguel.
Benefits of Sewer Lateral Inspection
There are numerous benefits associated with a sewer lateral inspection, especially if you are considering a dwelling that is over 20 years old. Such an inspection gives the plumber a substantial amount of information about the condition of your sewer line. This information includes:
- The kind of material from which the pipe is made
- The pipe’s overall condition
- The presence of mineral deposit buildup or sludge in the pipe
- Root intrusions
- Failed connections
- Breaks or cracks in the pipe
- The length and depth of your sewer line
Knowing if the aforementioned problems or other issues are present is imperative before purchasing your new home. Imagine buying a house only to discover weeks later that sewer system problems have been present all along and now you are stuck with the repair bill.
You should also avoid falling into the trap of assuming that just because a home is relatively new, sewer issues will not be present. A camera inspection may expose the fact that even a sewer line that is only ten years old may already be damaged by roots or clogged with debris. This may be due to the builder using cheap materials or the result of faulty installation. However, it is never wise to assume that any home is immune from sewer line problems.
How a Sewer Line Inspection is Performed
A sewer camera is an innovative piece of technology. Such a device operates with fiber-optic technology, similar to that of a closed-circuit TV. In most cases, pipes must have a minimum diameter of three inches in order for the camera to safely pass through to the other end.
When it is determined that the pipe is the appropriate diameter, the plumbing technician inserts a snake attached to a small video camera and pushes it through the pipe. The preferred starting point for the process is your sewer line’s clean-out, which is usually four inches in height and sticks up through the ground in the front or at the side of the home. It typically has a cap on the top, which is obviously removed for the inspection. From there, the camera travels all the way to the septic tank or baffle and the images can be watched on the monitor.
As the camera travels along, the plumbing technician comments on a variety of things, such as the condition of the pipe itself and whether the sewer line is clogged or clear. It is a simple process that can uncover a wealth of information that is imperative to you as a prospective home buyer.
A house is a significant investment. For this reason, we urge you to listen to our plumbers in Laguna Niguel, and take the time to schedule a sewer camera inspection can assist you to make an informed decision and ultimately help you spend your money wisely.