# What a Sewer Camera Found Inside This Old Drain Line: Corrosion, a Break and a Flattened Pipe

- Link: https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/broken-collapsed-sewer-line-camera/
- Published: 2026-10-25T03:43:38+00:00
- Author: homeinspectordan

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](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/sewer-camera-inspection/)
to your home inspection. More examples: [a cast iron line that would have cost $10,000](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/sewer-scan-save-10000-cast-iron/)
and [a sewer line belly holding water](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/standing-water-sewer-line-pipe-belly/).
We inspect homes across [Mesa](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/home-inspector-mesa-az/),
[Tempe](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/home-inspector-tempe-az/) and [Phoenix](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/home-inspector-phoenix-az/).

**Buying a home?** [Book your inspection online](https://app.spectora.com/home-inspectors/my-inspection-company-f8d6dbae4e/schedule)
or call [623-399-0079](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/broken-collapsed-sewer-line-camera/6233990079).

Property Inspections Plus is a [Gilbert, AZ home inspection](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/)
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](https://propertyinspectionsplus.com/service-areas/).