Sewer Pipe Repair in NJ: How to Inspect Sewer Drains When Looking For a New Home

While homeownership might be the American dream, it's a decision that's often fraught with red tape and stress. Because it is the single largest and most expensive purchase for most people, it's important for potential homeowners to do their due diligence and make sure that they know as much as the homes they're interested in as possible before signing a contract to purchase it.

Home Inspections: More Than Just a Surface Look

A home inspection is a vital component of the home-buying process that should be completed early into the home buying process. While home inspections shouldn’t be a deal breaker for those home buyers who are searching for a property that needs work, it's important to be aware of any issues upfront. Most home buyers are concerned about those home systems that are most visible -- the heating and air conditioning, for example, or the electrical system The structural soundness of the home is also often on the minds of potential home buyers in terms of cracks in the foundation and the presence of pests such as termites.

Inspection of Sewer Drains

There's one aspect of the home buying process that most people don't even think about. Of course, this isn't really surprising since most homeowners themselves don't really think about their sewer -- or the drains that connect to it -- unless there is some kind of problem that affects their everyday lives.

This tendency to not think about things unless they are visible can result in unexpected -- and expensive -- repairs down the road. This is especially true when it comes to a sewer line inspection. Though the housing market is brisk with choice homes often being snapped up within days or even hours after they've been listed, it's important for potential home buyers to have all the information they need to make the right decision. If a sewer inspection is forgone in the hopes of saving time and/or money, this is a potential issue that could cause the homeowner to have to foot a bill for a sewer line repair that costs upwards of $10,000 or more.

What's Involved in a Sewer Inspection?

The typical home inspection involves a trained professional walking through the home and noting the existence of certain features as well as their condition and any repairs or modifications that should be kept in mind when negotiating a final purchase price.

A professional sewer line repair company, such as ICUNJ, follows a specific set of steps when they perform a sewer inspection. While this involves a thorough inspection of the structures that are above the ground to ensure that they are both intact and functioning well, they will also make use of a closed circuit television sewer camera. This handy tool gives the trained sewer technician access to the inner workings of the sewer pipes that are underground.

Age Doesn’t Matter

While many people think that only older homes need to have a sewer inspection, this is one area in life when age really doesn't matter. Even a newer home could have issues with its sewer system. One common scenario involves a newer home that was built on a lot where a previous home was located. In order to save money, the owner might have reused parts of the older system.

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