A home inspection is a visual check of the house's accessible systems, including visible plumbing, fixtures and drains that run. A sewer inspection puts a camera inside the building drain and buried lateral to see their condition to the municipal main. The home inspection tells you drains work today; the sewer inspection tells you what the hidden pipe looks like inside.
- A home inspection normally ends where plumbing disappears into the floor or wall; the buried sewer is outside its standard scope.
- Running water for a few minutes can pass a home inspection even when the lateral has roots or a sag.
- Some home inspection companies offer a sewer scope as an add-on; others refer it out. Either can work if the output meets the report checklist.
- Ordering both on the same day gives you one visit and one combined picture of the plumbing.
- Read the scope clause of each agreement: what is excluded matters as much as what is included.
01 /What does a home inspection cover in the plumbing?
A home inspection covers the plumbing that is visible and accessible during a non-invasive walk-through: supply piping where exposed, fixtures, faucets, visible drain and vent piping, water heater, and whether drains empty at a reasonable rate when run. Inspectors typically note leaks, corrosion, improper materials and obvious venting issues.
- Fixtures run and drain; the inspector watches for slow drains and gurgling.
- Exposed drain, waste and vent piping in the basement or crawlspace is examined.
- Visible cleanouts, floor drains and sump pits are noted.
- Signs of past water events — staining, efflorescence, patched concrete — are recorded.
- The main water shutoff and the water heater are checked.
What a home inspection generally does not do is open the sewer and look inside. Standards of practice used by Canadian inspectors typically exclude systems that are buried, concealed or underground. In Alberta, home inspectors must be licensed by the province; check your own province's rules and your inspector's written agreement.
02 /What does a sewer inspection cover that a home inspection does not?
A sewer inspection covers the inside of the building drain and building sewer from an access point to the municipal main: joints, cracks, roots, sags, deposits, transitions, the tie-in and the route on the ground. It answers questions a home inspection cannot: whether the lateral is clay or PVC, whether it has roots at every joint, and whether there is a belly under the front lawn.
03 /Can a house pass a home inspection with a failing sewer?
Yes. A house can pass a home inspection with a failing sewer because a partial blockage or a broken section may still carry the modest flow from a sink or a few flushes. Problems often appear only under heavy use, such as laundry plus showers, or seasonally when roots are most active. An empty or staged house may see little use before sale, hiding a slow line.
| Condition | Why it passes | What the camera shows |
|---|---|---|
| Roots at several joints | Water still flows around them | Root strands or masses at joint rings |
| Sag with standing water | Drains still empty, just slowly downstream | Camera going underwater |
| Offset joint | Flow passes over the lip | A step in the pipe wall |
| Broken section with soil visible | Pipe still partly open | Missing wall piece and soil |
| Recently cleaned line | Symptoms temporarily gone | Cut root stubs, scoured walls |
04 /Who performs a sewer inspection?
Sewer inspections are performed by drain and sewer contractors, plumbing companies, and some home inspection firms that own camera equipment. There is no single mandatory Canadian licence specifically for residential sewer camera work; plumbing licensing rules apply to repair work, and home inspector licensing rules vary by province. Some operators hold NASSCO PACP or LACP certification, which shows training in standardized condition coding.
| Provider type | Strengths | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Drain or sewer contractor | Deep equipment, can clean on the spot | Possible incentive to recommend their own repair |
| Plumbing company | Can relate the lateral to interior plumbing | Camera experience varies |
| Home inspector with camera | Convenient, independent of repair sales | May not clean or locate; check report detail |
| PACP / LACP-certified operator | Standardized coding and grading | Codes still need plain-language explanation |
Whoever you choose, hold them to the same standard: full video, distances, locates and a clear statement of limits. The report checklist is the benchmark. How to choose a sewer inspection company turns it into ten questions to ask before booking, and certification and training explains what PACP and LACP credentials do and do not prove.
05 /How do you order both inspections efficiently?
- Ask the home inspector first
Find out if a sewer scope is offered, what equipment is used, and whether the video is delivered. If not, ask for a referral or book separately.
- Book the same day if possible
One access appointment with the seller; the home inspector can point out interior clues for the scope operator.
- Confirm the entry point
Ask whether a cleanout exists; if a toilet must be pulled, confirm the seller allows it.
- Share findings between them
Slow drains, staining near floor drains or a patched slab reported by the home inspector tell the camera operator where to look closely.
- Combine the results
Read the home inspection plumbing section alongside the sewer video before deciding on conditions.
Costs for a standalone scope and an add-on differ; the sewer inspection cost guide breaks down what changes the price, and how long a sewer scope takes helps you plan the day and the report turnaround.
06 /What should each agreement say?
Each agreement should say what is included, what is excluded, and what you will receive. For a home inspection, look for the clause excluding underground or concealed systems. For a sewer scope, look for the entry point, whether cleaning is included, whether locating is included, the deliverable format, and how access problems are handled.
- Does the scope price include locate marks and depth estimates?
- What happens if the camera cannot enter or cannot reach the main?
- Is the video provided, in what format, and how long is it stored?
- Are formal PACP or LACP codes used, or plain descriptions?
- Is the operator also quoting repairs, and are the two documents separate?
With both reports in hand, the decision framework in should you scope before buying helps you respond. When you are ready, request a sewer inspection quote.
07 /Which interior clues point to a sewer problem?
Interior clues that point to a sewer problem are the ones a home inspector may note but cannot explain. Passing them to the sewer camera operator gives the scope a focus.
| Clue in the house | Possible sewer cause | What the camera checks |
|---|---|---|
| Staining or residue around the floor drain | Past backup | Obstructions and defects downstream |
| Gurgling when a toilet flushes or a tub drains | Partial blockage or venting issue | Roots, sags, buildup in the main |
| Patched concrete near the stack or floor drain | Past under-slab repair | Condition of the repaired section and the pipe either side |
| Sewer odour in the basement | Dry trap, loose cleanout cap or a broken pipe | Cleanout seal and under-slab piping |
| Recent drain cleaning receipts | Recurring blockage | Roots or defects that caused it |
Not every gurgle or smell is a sewer defect. A blocked or undersized vent can pull water out of traps and make fixtures gurgle, and a dry floor drain trap lets sewer gas in without anything being wrong with the lateral. A home inspector may flag these symptoms; a camera answers whether the sewer is involved, and a plumber's smoke test can find where gas escapes. Dye, smoke and pressure testing explains when each test helps.
FAQQuestions people ask
Is a sewer scope part of a standard home inspection in Canada?
Generally no. Standard home inspections focus on visible, accessible systems and typically exclude underground piping. A sewer scope is usually an optional add-on or a separate service.
Can my home inspector do the sewer scope?
Some can. Ask what camera they use, whether they locate defects from the surface, and whether you receive the video. If they cannot, book a separate sewer inspection.
Which should I book first?
Book them on the same day if possible. If not, the home inspection often comes first and may reveal clues, such as slow drains or floor drain staining, that help the sewer operator.
Does a home inspector run water to test the drains?
Usually yes, by running fixtures for a short time. That tests whether drains empty under light use but does not show the condition of the pipe underground.
Do I need both for a newer house?
The home inspection is standard. The sewer scope is optional on newer houses with PVC laterals but can still catch sags and construction debris. Weigh it against age, trees and history.
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