A video pipe inspection is one of the standard home inspections every buyer should have when buying a home in New Orleans. (Some places call them a sewer scope.) This inspection entails dropping a camera down your sewer lines to see if anything is cracked, broken, or leaking. These types of issues come up, and you need to be prepared. We spoke with Brandon Judy with Royal Flush Video Pipe about the most common things you can expect during this inspection. Check them out!
#1: Cracking terracotta pipes
Many underground sewer lines in the New Orleans metro area are still terracotta. Since the industry standard started using plastic in the 1960s, you can assume correctly that if you find terracotta pipes, they will be OLD. The common issue with these pipes is finding they are cracked and allowing mud to seep into them. Don’t be shocked if that’s what you see!
And if they are in ok shape for now, plan on replacing them down the line.
#2: Root intrusion
Another common deficiency in your sewer lines is finding that roots have found their way into them. There are fixes for this problem – so don’t automatically assume they must be replaced! This is a case-by-case situation with root intrusion. Talk to your video pipe inspector and plumber about options.
#3: Decay & Flaking of Cast Iron Lines
Cast iron was used in sewer lines all the way till 1980. So while some of these lines may not be as old as your terracotta ones, they have seen their fair share of things. A common defect on these pipes is that they start flaking, and you need to have them descaled. If flaking is considerable, this can stop things from flowing correctly.
#4: Grease Build-Up
We see this ALL THE TIME! While we don’t believe most homeowners are dumping grease and oil down the drain, it does happen from food and residue from washing dishes. Due to this build-up, we often ask home sellers to clean the lines.
#5: Sagging lines
Sagging lines are all too common – especially in our area with shifting ground. Brandon let us know that it’s not just older pipes. It happens with newer ABS plastic lines too. No one is immune to this issue, which can happen at any house. This can occur due to excessive rain, poor soil compaction when the lines are installed, and other reasons.
We want to set you up for success in buying or selling real estate. Many of these video pipe inspection problems are often not known, which surprises us all! But, to help you in the future, we recommend never flushing wipes, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, or dumping oil down your drain.
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