Videocam Sewer System

[hausdok]

I routinely recommend folks have sewer lines scoped. Did it last night in fact. A lot of the housing stock in Seattle has the downspout receivers and stairwell drains tied into the basement floor drains and the city sewer. So, when we have unusually heavy rains combined with snow the sewers tend to back up and create geysers in basements.

When I'm looking at a really old home with vitreous clay pipe receivers and basement floor drains in one of those old neighborhoods where there's only a sanitary sewer and no storm sewers, I always recommend they be scoped because I know that most of those old clay or concrete pipes will have collapsed or broken somewhere around the home or between the home and the street.

Yesterday's was easy. They left a cleanout off a line in the basement and there was dried up gorf all over the floor around the floor drain. It was pretty obvious the drain had backed up and someone had been attempting to snake it out. Wish I'd had that damned camera, I probably could have added another service right there and been able to hand them a video tape without having to recommend they hire another guy to come in and scope the line.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[randynavarro]

I think getting sewers scoped on older homes, (pre 1960's or so) is a no-brainer. . . well, just like getting a home inspection when you purchase a home!! They're equally as important in my view.

The technology is so good and the cost is so affordable, a buying unit, (similar to "inspecting unit" ala Walter Jowers) would be irresponsible if he didn't do so.

In fact, when I book an appointment and the person says it's pre-60's, I'll tell 'em to get on the phone and call a sewer scoper--maybe they could be there at the same time I am to make things more efficient.

[randynavarro]

Originally posted by hausdok

...left a cleanout off a line in the basement and there was dried up gorf...

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Is that word allowed here?

[Bill Kibbel]

... I always recommend they be scoped because I know that most of those old clay or concrete pipes will have collapsed or broken somewhere around the home or between the home and the street.

I find the same thing, but I don't tell them to waste money on sending in a camera. I just tell them to replace it.

[BCINSPTR]

Originally posted by Jerry Simon

Was in Beverly (nice south Chicago suburb) last week, ground had sunk about 18" around most of the home. Do you think that the broken clay drain tiles were allowing soil to erode into them, causing the ground to sink (duh!). Realtor said I couldn't comment on what I couldn't see. She made BIG mistake there.

You fellows are getting sewer lines scoped, right? Or are you including the perimeter drain lines? How?

[plummen]

ive reccomended that to a couple ofthe real estate offices i do plumbing for.but they seem to think its not worth spending $125 to camera from the basement to the street with a copy of the video for $125.00 ,thats ok though because i own a backhoe too! [:-slaphap

[plummen]

here ya go since im the unknown contractor of unknown skills http://hyetechutilities.com

[feste235]

Given how many camera systems there are there is no excuse for not using them. Personally i recommend XTI cameras but then i am biased!

[ghentjr]

How many out there recommend, or even think about, condition of the building sewer? This has become a surprisingly common defect in my work area (inner City Chicago). Everything is terra cotta clay tile around here; that's the problem. The number of sewers all blown apart by tree roots, building settlement, or general aging is quite large.

Just curious........ I've gotten to the point where I advise the videoscope on about 75% of the properties I inspect.

In the day, I never recommended this. But I recently had it done at my house and if I were still in the bidness I would make it a standard suggestion on anything over 30 years. However, that said, around here they want $ 350 to 450 for the job. After a suggestion of my taking the clean out cover off before they got there, and the mention of cash, I got it way down in price. Still, it would be another expense for the home buyer.

[robert1966]

I inspected a foreclosed home on New Year's Day and I recommended having the pipes scoped because of the foundation conditions. The fact that the neighbor told me that it had severe plumbing problems on the right side had nothing to do with it. I current recommend having a scope or hydrostatic test on most homes that have significant foundation issues.