Should You Have a Sewer Line Inspection Before Winter?
A sewer line inspection may not be on your home winterizing check-off list, but it should be. In January, you wouldn’t want to be confronted with slow drains, strange smells, or a sewage backup. Before winter arrives, it’s best to know what’s going on inside those underground pipes. Cold weather can exacerbate small sewer issues into major problems, resulting in costly repairs.
Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
Why Sewer Line Inspections Are a Smart Move Before Winter
Scheduling a sewer line inspection before winter is a safeguard against cold-weather plumbing mayhem. Seasonal inspections will find and fix clogs, cracks, and tree root invasions, preventing emergency repairs when pipes are under pressure from freezing temperatures.
Sewer scope inspections are
crucial for older homes with aging or outdated plumbing systems. Older properties can battle corrosion, collapsed pipes, or long-neglected buildup. While new homes benefit from sewer line inspections, they experience fewer problems - unless there are known issues. Skipping an inspection can lead to messy plumbing disasters that could have been avoided.
How Sewer Scopes Detect Winter-Sensitive Issues
Nowadays, plumbers use video pipe inspection tools and sewer scopes, allowing them to inspect the inside of your pipes. A waterproof camera, small enough to insert into pipes, travels along the pipeline while streaming real-time footage back to the plumber. It’s an efficient tool that captures cracks, blockages, misalignments, and invading tree roots that could get worse when freezing temperatures set in. A quick video pipe inspection prevents expensive winter plumbing disasters.
Risks of Delaying a Sewer Inspection
Freezing temperatures cause the water inside pipes to expand; this expansion could widen cracks or cause pipes to burst - and that’s not a pretty picture. A simple sewer line inspection before winter could mean the difference between having a manageable plumbing solution and dealing with a full-blown emergency.
In addition to a financial setback, plumbing emergencies pose serious health risks. Raw sewage and mold issues can cause respiratory problems for your family. A minor plumbing issue found and resolved in November can avoid disasters in January.
Who Should Get Inspected More Frequently?
When your home is more than 30 years old or surrounded by large, mature trees, schedule more frequent sewer line inspections. The pipes in older homes are prone to cracking, corrosion, and collapse due to age and the clay or cast-iron materials. Well-established trees in the yard are beautiful, but their roots can grow into the sewer line. Those tree root invasions are hard to spot without a sewer scope inspection.
If your home was built before the 1980s, a sewer line inspection is recommended every one to two years. Newer homes require less frequent checks, but a professional evaluation will confirm the schedule. A licensed sewer line inspector will effectively assess the condition of your pipes and recommend the best inspection schedule so you won’t have to guess or stress over it.
How Much Does a Sewer Line Camera Inspection Cost?
The average cost of a sewer line camera inspection is $250 to $500 for a basic inspection. The price depends on the property size and the accessibility of the sewer line. A more detailed inspection, which includes recording footage, detailed diagnostics, or mapping problem areas, could cost as much as $800.
That’s a chunk of change, but spending hundreds of dollars could save you thousands over a sewer line replacement. Video pipe inspections can save you money, time, and peace of mind, particularly before winter weather makes emergency plumbing more complicated and expensive.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Frozen—Get Your Sewer Line Checked Now
Winter’s coming soon, so now’s the time to schedule a sewer line inspection. A sewer scope inspection done now protects you from backups, cracks, or emergency repairs when the ground freezes hard.
Avoid the stress of a plumbing mess that comes with mid-winter plumbing surprises. Book a quick preventative sewer scope inspection now and enjoy a worry-free winter.
Contact Blue Mills Plumbing in Independence, MO today – your friendly local pros are ready to help you stay ahead of the freeze.
