Yes, another inspection has made its way onto the "common" list for home sales, the sewer. Costing $180-200, a plumber or sewer company inserts a flexible probe with a camera and light at the end, and records a video of the sewer interior from the main drain pipe, or stack, dropping under the basement slab out to the main trunk line, typically under the street. This can be anywhere from 30 feet to 100 feet or more of sewer on the property that is owned and maintained by the homeowner. The operator voices over the video being made, noting what he sees - pipe composition of cast iron, clay, or PVC; location of clean out; tree roots, and cracks or breaks in the line. He also will record whether he believes repairs are needed, any maintenance to be performed, approximate area under house or in the yard where the issue is, or that all appears to be normal. Sometimes tree roots block the camera, and need to be cleared out before the inspection can be finished. The video will last several minutes, and is sent by link in an email, along with printed comments. The first time you view one of these can make you a bit queasy, I still am! Surprisingly, though, they are relatively clean as they run a lot of water thru before running the camera in. 

Here is the main problem arising from these inspections: Cracked lines that are not posing a problem (I am told cracks in clay pipe are not a defect, while cracks in cast iron are), and bows or dips in the line that are not causing a problem. The buyer views these as a potential, if not imminent issue, while the seller sees it as a condition that may last many years before becoming a "real" problem, if ever. Besides, the lateral sewer insurance programs that most municipalities and Counties offer will not kick in until there is a backup. So the seller reasons that (1) a cracked line will not obstruct the flow - no insurance claim - I have to pay for it myself, which can cost several thousand dollars to dig up the area and repair the section, which is not currently causing a problem, and may never. (2) If it gets to the point of obstruction and backing up, (and it is not just tree roots) let the insurance cover the repair at that point. On the other hand, the buyer reasons that (1) they don't want to deal with a backup with their stuff in the basement, or having the basement or yard torn up, plus having to pay the deductible (usually $500); and (2) problems under the house itself are not covered by the insurance programs, only sections from the foundation out to the trunk line. 

Who is right? When this began a few years ago, the seller won this debate most of the time, and possibly paid a credit to the buyer for any future repairs. Nowadays, if the issue is under the house itself, the buyer is getting the repair paid by seller more often, and if out in the yard not so much, although partial seller credits are still fairly common either way. It comes down to how much the buyer wants the house, and if the seller thinks they can sell it to the next buyer while disclosing the issue and not having to do it for them, plus all the other stuff that goes with terminating a contract and dealing with other repairs on the list. Note that condo buyers are not getting this inspection done, as the general rule is once the drain goes into the wall or under the floor, it is an Association responsibility. On villas, check the Association documents to see who is responsible for the sewer line. Also, newer homes are less likely to have this performed as sewer pipes are designed to last many years. 

Here's to clean pipes!