Hi there, Boise homeowner! Ever had a toilet back up at the worst time? Or maybe you're buying a new house and want to make sure there are no nasty surprises hiding underground? Let me tell you about sewer scope inspections and why they're so important here in the Treasure Valley.
A sewer scope is when we put a small camera down your sewer line to see what’s going on in there. The camera goes through your pipes and shows us everything – from small cracks to big roots that might be growing into your line.
I remember last winter when the Jones family on the Bench called us. They kept having weird gurgling sounds in their bathroom. They’d tried drain cleaners and even had a plumber out twice, but the problem kept coming back. When we did a sewer scope, we found a bunch of tree roots that had broken through an old clay pipe section. They were so happy to finally know what the real problem was!
Boise’s older neighborhoods like the North End, East End, and parts of the Bench have lots of homes built before 1970. These homes often have original sewer lines made of materials that don’t last forever:
Clay pipes that crack easily with ground movement
Cast iron pipes that rust through
Orangeburg pipes (basically compressed paper!) that collapse
Plus, our beautiful Boise trees have roots that love finding water – right inside your sewer line!
I was working on a home near Julia Davis Park last summer. The owners had lived there for 15 years with no problems. Our sewer scope found their line was almost totally blocked by roots from that big maple tree in their front yard. We caught it just in time before they had a major backup into their home.
Here’s when you really need to think about getting your sewer line checked:
Smart home buyers in Boise get sewer scopes before closing. Fixing or replacing a sewer line can cost thousands of dollars - not something you want to discover after you've bought a house!
Getting a sewer scope before listing your home can prevent deals falling through at the last minute. I've seen too many Boise sellers lose buyers when a sewer problem turns up during the inspection period.
If your drains keep clogging or you hear gurgling noises, that's your pipes trying to tell you something!
Planning to plant trees or put in that new patio? Better know where your sewer line is and what shape it's in first.
Boise's mature trees are gorgeous but their roots are strong. They can sense water in sewer pipes and will break through tiny cracks to get to it.
Our soil shifts, especially in areas with clay soil like parts of the Foothills. This movement can crack or break older pipes.
This happens when the ground settles and creates a low spot where waste gets stuck. We see this a lot in newer North and West Boise neighborhoods.
You'd be surprised what we find! Cooking grease, "flushable" wipes (they're not really flushable!), toys, jewelry - I've seen it all in Boise sewer lines.
When you call us for a sewer scope in Boise, here’s what happens:
The whole thing usually takes less than an hour, and you’ll know exactly what’s going on underground.
A basic sewer scope in Boise costs between $150-300. That might seem like a lot, but compare it to the thousands it costs to dig up and replace a line, or the cleanup costs if sewage backs up into your home!
We had a client in Eagle who skipped the sewer scope when buying. Six months later, they had sewage backing up into their basement. The fix? $12,000 for a new sewer line plus about $8,000 in cleanup and repairs. That $200 inspection would have saved them so much money and stress.
I was working in Garden City last month with a homeowner who had used a big national plumbing chain first. They told her she needed a complete sewer line replacement - about $20,000! Our inspection showed the problem was actually just a small section where an elm tree root had gotten in. We fixed it for under $2,000.
If you’re a Boise real estate agent or home buyer, listen up! In hot markets like ours, it’s tempting to skip inspections to make offers more appealing. But I’ve seen too many deals fall apart over sewer issues.
One agent I work with in the North End makes sewer scopes standard for all her buyers. Last year, she had clients ready to buy a gorgeous remodeled bungalow on 15th Street. The house looked perfect, but our sewer scope found the line was completely collapsed under the front yard. The sellers had to drop their price by $15,000 to cover the repair costs.
Watch out for these warning signs:
To get the most from your Boise sewer inspection:
If we find problems during your Boise sewer inspection, don't panic! Many issues can be fixed without digging up your whole yard:
But if you do need repairs, it’s better to know before you have raw sewage backing up into your house during Thanksgiving dinner! (Yes, that really happened to a family in Meridian last year – not a fun holiday memory.)
You can rent sewer cameras at some home improvement stores in Boise, but here’s the truth: knowing what you’re looking at takes experience. I’ve had many customers try the DIY route first, then call us because they couldn’t tell if what they saw was normal or a serious problem.
A professional Boise sewer scope gives you:
Once we’ve checked your sewer line, here’s how to keep it flowing freely:
Get regular inspections if you have older pipes
Whether you're buying a charming Hyde Park bungalow, selling your Collister ranch home, or just wanting to prevent problems in your Southeast Boise subdivision, a sewer scope gives you peace of mind.
Our Boise sewer inspection team is ready to help you see what's happening underground. We know the area, we know the common problems, and we're here to give you honest advice about your sewer system.
Don't wait for a nasty backup or a failed home sale. Call today to schedule your Boise sewer scope inspection and know for sure what's going on with your pipes!
