It’s a gritty looking thing, isn’t it? Nestled into the concrete floor of a basement shoulder to shoulder to the hot water heater. But that teal cap, covered in years of grime, needs to be twisted off the main stack in order to have a look-see into the drain and out to the street.
This home was built in 1960, and who knows if the the lid has ever been lifted. The sewer scope guy wouldn’t touch it. Said it looked like it would splinter if a guy threw some weight behind a wrench to twist it off. And you can’t exactly leave a house with the main drain wide open. He’d be stuck.
A sewer scope inspection is a relatively new add on to the inspection process in the sale of a home. Homeowners are responsible for the line which transport all the waste products from the pipes from the home to where it connects to the city infrastructure. So if tree roots have dug into it and it weeps waste product into the soil, then the owner is required to do the repair. This can entail digging up the front yard and replacing the pipe or running a liner pipe through the damaged area. It’s on the more expensive side of a home repair.
Some cities of predominantly 40-60’s built homes require the line be scoped prior to sale. This envolves accessing the drain and sending a camera at the end of a line down through the pipes. The guy today said that typically it takes 80 feet to hit the connection. The city then determines whether the property needs work.
The one in the photo isn’t located in a city with a point-of-sale ordinance concerning waste lines. The sewer scope guy was there on behalf of a buyer. The seller suggested he run the camera through the laundry drain pipe instead, yet alas, that pipe’s diameter is too small. So a sewer repair guy was supposed to come out to the house, but he couldn’t on short notice. Instead, a few days later, a contractor who was familiar with the house went over and installed a new cap.
Today the inspector guy was successful. His footage showed the buyer that all was well until the 60ft mark at which point a bundle of debris was causing a blockage. No real concerns, he said. Just need a Rotter Rooter type out to clear the path.
All this is to point out one small part in the massive collection of parts that comprise a home. When it wasn’t in working order a scurry of others had to swirl around to but it back right. No issues, no problem. An issue, possible delays. Sometimes none of the parts are of concern. But when there are issues, a person with comprehensive experience is going to keep the transaction on track. They’ll know who to call when. And that’s why people hire a professional. Because they add value through their knowledge.
Home Economics 