This older home had no cleanouts in the front yard, so I had to send the camera down the vent stack from the roof. Every home should have accessible cleanouts so a plumber can clear or inspect the line. When there are none, every future clog gets more expensive.
What the camera found
- Old metal drain pipe with corrosion built up on the bottom.
- Cockroaches. A lot of them. Roaches in a sewer line can be a sign there are openings in the pipe.
- A flattened section around 60 feet. The pipe was oblong instead of round, with the top pushed down.
- A break around 67 feet, with a bug crawling in through it.
- A rough joint where the line changes to clay pipe, with the top of the pipe caved in.
Why a flattened pipe matters
A pipe that looks flattened or oval like this is what we often see with Orangeburg pipe, also called fiber pipe. It was used in the mid-1900s and was made of wood pulp soaked in coal tar. Over time it absorbs moisture, softens, deforms under the weight of the soil and eventually collapses. Clay pipe has its own problems: joints that shift and let roots in.
My recommendation
The line was still working the day I scoped it. But with collapsed sections, a break and rough joints, how much longer it keeps working is anyone’s guess. I recommended a licensed plumber give an estimate to replace the sewer line. If you are buying, that estimate is something you want in hand before your inspection period ends.
Sewer scans for older homes in Gilbert and the Valley
Older homes in Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix and the original parts of Gilbert are the most likely to have cast iron, clay or Orangeburg sewer lines. Add a sewer camera inspection to your home inspection. More examples: a cast iron line that would have cost $10,000 and a sewer line belly holding water. We inspect homes across Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix.
Buying a home? Book your inspection online or call 623-399-0079.
Property Inspections Plus is a Gilbert, AZ home inspection company led by Certified Master Inspector Dan Pierce. We inspect homes across the East Valley, the Phoenix metro and the rest of Arizona. See all of our service areas.
