Portland, Oregon Sewer Scope Home Test Guide

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Updated 02/2025.

What is a sewer scope?

A sewer scope is a simple home test that checks sewer lines for blockages, leaks, and damage. It also tells you the material of your sewer pipe.

Your sewer inspector will first locate the “clean out,” a capped pipe on or near your property line that connects to the lateral sewer line. They will open the cap and insert a camera attached to a sewer snake. As the snake travels through the sewer line, the inspector watches the footage on a monitor. If the sewer line inspector can’t find the clean-out, they will typically request to pull a toilet and run their camera through that way. Once the video is done, they will likely post the results for you on YouTube and provide a written report that typically results in a simple pass or fail.

How do I know if the home needs a sewer scope?

Typically, a sewer scope is recommended for any home in Portland over 20 years old, but we have seen sewer lines fail on brand-new homes due to bad installation. The sewer line must be properly connected to the house and main public sewer line.

Older homes have failed sewer lines due to wear and tear, whether it is a cracked line from root instructions, settled bellies in the sewer line, clogged lines, or other failures.

Even if no problems are visible on the surface (soggy lawn, sewer smell), a small leak in a sewer line doesn’t take long to turn into a big problem, especially if trees are growing nearby. Tree roots are very good at getting into sewer lines!

Is a sewer scope included with Portland home inspections?

No, typically, you’ll need to order your sewer scope separately. Some home inspectors offer this service for an extra charge. Otherwise, most plumbing companies can do the job. Talk to your Portland real estate agent for recommendations.

Who pays for the sewer line test?

If the seller doesn’t know of any issues with the sewer line, they won’t typically offer to have a scope done on behalf of the buyer. In that case, it’s up to the potential buyer to have it done.

What if the scope turns up an issue with the sewer line?

What if the sewer line is part of a party (non-conforming)?

Party sewer lines happen when two or more homes have their lines connected together before joining the main public sewer line, but this isn’t a party you want to attend.

The City of Portland requires individual properties to have independent connections to the public sewer. You can read all about the city’s rules about party lines here. If party lines are discovered (via a sewer scope), they will be reported to the city, and the city will require that new independent sewer lines be installed within 180 days.

If your sewer line crosses through another home’s property line to reach the main sewer line and there is no recorded easement, the easement must also be approved and recorded, or a new line must be installed.

Finally, sometimes sewer lines extend past the home’s property line and run through yards of property that is not theirs and doesn’t belong to another private homeowner. In these strange cases, the city may adopt the part of the sewer line that goes past the home’s lot lines or may require line adjustment.

Dig vs. No Dig Sewer Line Repairs

One reason sewer lines can cost so much to repair or replace is the digging. In the past, one had to dig up expensive landscaping, maybe jack through concrete driveways or sidewalks to get to the line, then pull it up and replace it.

Are homes with public sewers or septic systems more valuable?

This is an interesting question. Since I couldn’t find any reports online about the subject, I started an annual report on home values, septic vs. public sewer. You can see the latest report for Portland, Oregon here.

We recommend a sewer scope on every home purchase

Unless the sewer line was (very) recently tested, we recommend a sewer scope inspection be performed to protect our clients. No one wants the sewer backing up into the house or flooding the front lawn of your new home.

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