Homeowners beware: it is important to inspect sewer lines before purchasing a house. Although a home may appear solid from the outside, there may be some serious problems in the foundation. Sewer line inspections do not fall under standard home inspection procedures, which can be very costly should any issues arise.
One a home is purchased, everything is the homeowners responsibility – including the sewage lines attached to the home. If there is a plumbing leak of any sort, the responsibility of fixing the pipes will become the homeowner's issue, which can cost thousands of dollars.
A Cincinnati couple told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that after purchasing their home they realized they also purchased a plumbing nightmare.
"Just a couple of years after purchasing our home, we had a $15,000 sewer line disaster in our lap," Jennifer Schappacher told the source. "The sewer line clogs began not long after we moved in, but as they became more frequent we had Roto-Rooter inspect the line with a video camera and only then did we realize the pipe had offset sections and a partial collapse that was causing sewage to back up into our house."
According to experts from historical interior design group From Times Past, sewage inspections for older homes are highly recommended to save time and money so homeowners can purchase a home without hesitation.
"Some older houses also have un-vented plumbing, which means the drain pipes may not be connected to a stack which allows air into the pipes and which provides a way for sewer gases to be dissipated," one expert said. "In some cases drains below sinks are not trapped, a condition that may result in the entry of sewer gas into the house."
