Sewer Inspection vs Home Inspection: What’s the Difference?

Written by Steven Shipler, Texas Licensed Master Plumber, Responsible Master Plumber (RMP), MBA, and host of The 4 Guys Education on YouTube.

If you are buying a house, you may be wondering about sewer inspection vs home inspection. Are they the same thing? Does the home inspection include the sewer line? Is a separate sewer camera inspection really necessary?

The short answer is simple: a home inspection and a sewer inspection are different inspections. A home inspection usually focuses on visible and accessible parts of the house. A sewer camera inspection looks inside the accessible underground sewer line using video equipment.

The problem for buyers is that the sewer line can be one of the most expensive hidden systems on the property. It may run under the yard, driveway, sidewalk, landscaping, alley, or concrete slab. You cannot fully judge it by flushing a toilet or running a sink for a few minutes.

The Sewer Inspection Company provides buyer sewer scopes, sewer camera inspections, under-slab sewer evaluations, cast iron sewer inspections, drain diagnostics, sewer locating, and Master Plumber review throughout Plano, Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Richardson, North Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Las Colinas, Irving, Coppell, and surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth areas.

What a Home Inspection Usually Checks

A home inspection is a broad inspection of the property. It may include visible and accessible components such as roof surfaces, attic areas, foundation observations, grading, electrical panels, HVAC equipment, water heaters, plumbing fixtures, visible leaks, doors, windows, appliances, and other home systems.

A home inspection is important. Buyers should not skip it. A good home inspection can identify many issues that affect safety, maintenance, budgeting, and negotiations.

But a standard home inspection usually does not give a full video view of the inside of the underground sewer line. A home inspector may run water at fixtures and flush toilets, but that is not the same as using a sewer camera to inspect the pipe interior.

What a Sewer Inspection Checks

A sewer inspection is a focused underground plumbing inspection. A sewer camera is inserted through an accessible cleanout or another approved access point. The technician watches the video and looks for visible sewer line defects.

A sewer camera inspection may reveal:

• Tree roots inside the sewer line
• Standing water
• Sewer bellies
• Offset joints
• Pipe separations
• Broken pipe
• Collapsed sections
• Cast iron deterioration
• Clay pipe separation
• PVC settlement
• Previous repairs
• Cleanout access problems
• Under-slab sewer concerns

For a full buyer education page, read: The Ultimate Guide to Sewer Inspections Before Buying a Home.

Sewer Inspection vs Home Inspection Chart

Why Flushing Toilets Is Not a Sewer Inspection

A toilet can flush even when the sewer line has a hidden problem. Water may move through a partially blocked line during a short inspection, while roots, bellies, standing water, cast iron scale, offsets, or pipe separations still exist underground.

That is why buyers should not assume the sewer line is good just because the house appears to drain during a showing or standard inspection.

The real question is not “Did the toilet flush?” The real question is “What does the sewer pipe look like inside?”

Why Buyers Should Use Both

A home inspection and sewer inspection are not competitors. They work together. The home inspection helps evaluate the visible house. The sewer inspection helps evaluate the buried sewer line.

When you are buying a home, you are not just buying paint, cabinets, flooring, roof shingles, and appliances. You are also buying the underground plumbing system.

A smart buyer orders both before closing, especially when the home is older, has mature trees, has had foundation work, has possible cast iron piping, has prior drain cleaning history, or has no visible exterior cleanout.

When a Sewer Camera Inspection Is Especially Important

A sewer inspection is smart for most buyers, but it becomes even more important when:

• The home is older
• The home may have cast iron drain piping
• The property has mature trees
• The home has had foundation work
• The seller mentions previous drain cleaning
• The seller discloses sewer repair history
• There are slow drains or gurgling toilets
• There is sewer odor inside or outside the home
• There are cleanout overflow stains
• The property is a rental, flip, estate sale, or investment property
• The property has no visible exterior cleanout

Questions Buyers Should Ask

• Did my home inspection include a sewer camera inspection?
• Was the sewer line inspected from a cleanout?
• Was the under-slab section inspected?
• Could the camera reach the full accessible line?
• Were roots, bellies, standing water, or offsets found?
• Was cast iron pipe visible?
• Were previous repairs visible?
• Do I need cleaning, repair, locating, or further evaluation?

Final Answer: Sewer Inspection vs Home Inspection

A home inspection checks visible and accessible systems throughout the house. A sewer inspection uses a camera to inspect the inside of the accessible underground sewer line.

Buyers should not treat one as a replacement for the other. A smart buyer orders both before closing.

Call The Sewer Inspection Company today at 972-333-5448.

Helpful Internal Links

• The Ultimate Guide to Sewer Inspections Before Buying a Home
• Why Home Inspectors Don’t Inspect Sewer Lines
• What Happens If You Skip a Sewer Inspection?
• What Can a Sewer Camera Inspection Find?
• Should I Get a Sewer Inspection Before Buying a House?
• Cast Iron Sewer Pipe Inspection
• Contact Us

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