Buying a new home is one of the biggest steps any of us will ever make. We at See Inside Sewer Scope want you to know for sure that the choice you make has no hidden surprises.

Because Colorado has a soil composition that is prone to settling, there are a few common problems we look for in our inspection process. In older homes that have clay tile pipe, this settling can cause offset unions, roots, bellies and structural damage. In newer homes, settling, while usually not causing major structural damage, can leave large belly areas in a sewer.

In addition to these common naturally occurring issues, we are also looking for the unusual such as new construction building errors or out of date products and plumbing styles such as fiber pipe, commonly called “Orangburg”.

Most of these issues can be solved or mitigated by simple appropriate maintenance while only a few require repair. The key is to have all the information you need before purchasing or listing a home, to know what action to take. We will give you that information.

Root Penetrations: Roots have entered main sewer via either an offset or a damaged area of the sewer pipe. Roots can cause sewer stoppages and can lead to further damage at offsets or broken areas. (Typical preferred maintenance is sewer cable cleaning)

Offsets: An offset is a separation in a sewer pipe (usually made of clay tile) where two sections of pipe come together. An offset may or may not cause problems depending on the size and the type of the offset. Some offsets are severe enough to require repair.

Sewer “Belly”: A “belly” is a section of pipe where the correct grade, or slope, has been altered and water does not flow appropriately through the pipe. In a belly, water moves too slowly and waste will separate from the water causing a build-up in the belly area, leading to sewer stoppages. (Typical preferred maintenance is sewer jetting)