What Is A Sewer Lateral Inspection?
Your sewer lateral is the pipe that connects your home's internal plumbing to the municipal sewer main in the street. In most Delaware County homes, this pipe runs under your yard — sometimes 60 to 150 feet from the house to the curb connection. Because it is underground and out of sight, problems with it often go undetected until they cause a backup or require emergency repair.
A sewer lateral inspection uses a waterproof HD camera mounted on a flexible push-rod cable. The camera is inserted at your cleanout or through a toilet opening and pushed through the full length of the lateral line. A technician monitors the live video feed in real time, noting the pipe material, condition, any defects, and precise GPS-based location mapping of the line. At the end, you receive a written report and a copy of the inspection video — documentation you can use for real estate transactions, permit applications, or repair decisions.
When You Need an Inspection
Buying a Home
Home inspectors do not inspect sewer lines. In Delaware County real estate transactions, a separate sewer lateral inspection is standard — and often required by lenders. Do not close without one.
Selling a Home
Many municipalities in Delaware County — including Upper Darby and several Haverford Township communities — require a sewer lateral inspection before a certificate of occupancy is issued for a sale.
Slow or Recurring Drains
If you have a slow drain that keeps coming back despite cleaning, the camera will tell you exactly why — root intrusion, pipe collapse, sag, or blockage — so you can fix the actual cause.
Older Homes (Pre-1980)
Most homes in Drexel Hill, Lansdowne, and Glenolden were built with clay tile or cast iron sewer laterals. These pipes crack, root-infiltrate, and collapse over time. Inspection tells you where you stand before a problem forces your hand.
Before Adding a Bathroom
Adding a basement bath or in-law suite in Ridley Park or Media? The permit process requires proof that your lateral can handle the increased load. An inspection gives you that documentation.
After a Sewage Backup
After any sewage backup, an inspection is essential. You need to know whether the cause was a one-time blockage or an underlying structural problem that will happen again.
What We Look For: Common Findings in Delaware County
After more than 12,000 sewer jobs across Delaware County, we know what to expect in the ground under different neighborhoods. Here is what our cameras routinely find:
Root Intrusion
The most common finding in Delaware County. Tree roots — especially from oaks, maples, and willows — infiltrate through clay tile joints. Minor root intrusion can be jetted clear; major infestations require pipe replacement.
Pipe Sag (Bellying)
When soil under the pipe settles, a section dips downward, creating a low point where solids collect. Sagged pipes cannot be cleaned permanently — they need to be relaid or replaced.
Cracks and Joint Offsets
Clay tile pipes crack from ground movement and age. Offset joints allow root infiltration and can eventually cause pipe collapse. We note the exact GPS location and depth of every defect.
Pipe Material Condition
We identify the pipe material — clay tile, cast iron, Orangeburg, PVC, or concrete — and assess its remaining service life. Orangeburg pipe (common in homes built 1945–1972) is especially prone to delamination and collapse.
Service Area: All of Delaware County PA
We perform sewer lateral inspections throughout Delaware County including Havertown, Media, Swarthmore, Upper Darby, Ridley Park, Drexel Hill, Broomall, Newtown Square, Lansdowne, Folsom, Glenolden, Norwood, Prospect Park, Aston, Boothwyn, Marcus Hook, Eddystone, Chadds Ford, Rose Valley, Springfield, and every surrounding community. We are familiar with the municipal inspection requirements in each township and borough.
Call 1-855-DONT-DIG to schedule. Same-day and next-morning appointments are regularly available. Reports are delivered within 24 hours of the inspection.