Sewer camera inspection guides and advice for Metro Detroit homeowners

Guides & advice

The Sewer Inspection Blog

Straight answers on sewer camera inspections, backups, costs, insurance, and what to watch for in older Metro Detroit homes.

Side-by-side comparison of clay, Orangeburg, cast iron, and PVC sewer pipe sections found under Metro Detroit homes

Local-specific

Sewer Pipe Materials in Metro Detroit: What's Actually Under Your Home

Every Metro Detroit home sits on a sewer lateral built from one of four materials, and each one fails in its own predictable way. Here's how to tell which one is under your yard, and why a camera is the only way to know for certain.

Read the guide →

Homeowner clearing space around a sewer cleanout before a camera inspection at a Metro Detroit home

Prevention

How to Prepare for a Sewer Camera Inspection

A little preparation turns a sewer camera inspection into a faster, more useful visit — and most of it takes less than fifteen minutes. Here's exactly what to check, clear, and gather before the technician arrives.

Sewer camera footage showing corroded, scaled cast iron pipe wall inside an older Metro Detroit home

Problem-solving

Cast Iron Sewer Pipe Corrosion: What's Happening Underground

Cast iron sewer pipe doesn't fail all at once — it corrodes quietly from the inside for decades before a backup ever reaches the house. Here's what's actually happening underground, and how a camera inspection shows you exactly how much pipe you have left.

Camera inspection footage of a softened, oval-shaped Orangeburg sewer pipe under a postwar Metro Detroit, Michigan home

Local-specific

Orangeburg Sewer Pipe in Metro Detroit: What Homeowners Need to Know

Orangeburg pipe was cheap, easy to install, and used in thousands of postwar Metro Detroit laterals — and most of it has already outlived the manufacturer's own estimate of how long it would last. Here's how to recognize it, how it fails, and why a camera is the only way to know what's really going on underground.

Sump pump running in a basement near Lake St. Clair due to high groundwater levels

Local-specific

High Water Table Risk Near Lake St. Clair: What It Means for Your Basement

Living near Lake St. Clair means groundwater sits close to the surface most of the year. Here's how that affects sewer laterals and basements in canal and lakeside communities.

Flooded residential basement in Metro Detroit following heavy rainfall and sewer system surcharge

Local-specific

What the 2021 Metro Detroit Floods Exposed About Aging Sewers

The June 2021 storm flooded thousands of Metro Detroit basements in hours. Here's what it revealed about aging sewer infrastructure and why documenting cause matters after an event like it.

Sinkhole forming in a yard over a failing sewer line in Center Line, Michigan before a camera inspection

Prevention

8 Warning Signs of Sewer Line Failure You Shouldn't Ignore

From gurgling drains to lush patches in the yard, these warning signs often show up well before a sewer line fails completely. Here's what to watch for.

Dense mass of tree roots growing through a cracked clay sewer pipe joint, seen during a camera inspection

Local-specific

Tree Roots and Sewer Lines: Metro Detroit's Ongoing Battle

Metro Detroit's mature tree canopy is one of its best features and one of its sewer laterals' biggest liabilities. Here's why root intrusion keeps coming back after cutting.

Commercial

Commercial Pre-Sale and Pre-Lease Sewer Scoping

A commercial building's sewer line is rarely part of a standard walkthrough, but it can carry six-figure repair risk. Here's what buyers and tenants in Troy and Novi should require before signing anything.

Plumbing camera inspection locating a main sewer line clog in a home in Clinton Township, Michigan

Emergency

Main Sewer Line Clog: How to Tell, and What to Do About It

Learn the difference between a main sewer line clog and a single branch clog, and why recurring blockages need a camera inspection rather than just a snake.

Camera view inside a residential drain pipe showing grease buildup narrowing the pipe diameter

Problem-solving

How a Drain Camera Finds Clogs That Snaking Can't Fix

If the same drain keeps clogging every few months, snaking is treating a symptom, not the cause. A drain camera shows what's actually going on inside the pipe.

Camera inspection of an old clay sewer lateral pipe in a historic Mount Clemens, Michigan home before purchase

Local-specific

Buying an Older Home in Macomb County? Get the Sewer Line Inspected First

Older homes in Mount Clemens and Rochester often have clay, cast-iron, or Orangeburg sewer laterals nearing the end of their service life. Here's what to check before you buy.

Commercial

Why Landlords and Property Managers Need Sewer Camera Inspections

Tenant turnover, grease-heavy restaurant tenants, and liability disputes all put a landlord's sewer line at risk. Here's why property managers in Southfield and Detroit build camera inspections into their operations.

Diagram-style view of a residential sewer lateral running from a house to the municipal main under the street

Cost & insurance

Who Pays for Sewer Line Repair: Homeowner vs. City Responsibility

After a backup, the first question is almost always who's responsible for the fix. Here's how lateral ownership generally works, and why documented footage matters more than a guess.

Insurance claim documents and sewer backup inspection report for a homeowner in St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Cost & insurance

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Sewer Backups in Michigan?

Sewer backup coverage isn't automatic under most Michigan homeowners policies. Here's what to know about endorsements, documentation, and filing a claim.

Homeowner checklist for maintaining an older home's sewer line

Prevention

Sewer Line Maintenance Checklist for Older Homes

Older homes in Berkley and Clawson carry sewer lines that need more than the occasional plunger. This checklist covers what to avoid flushing, how grease causes damage, and when a camera scope belongs in your routine.

Homeowner checking a basement floor drain while investigating a sewer gas smell inside the house

Emergency

Sewer Smell in the House? Here's How to Find the Source

A sewer gas smell can mean something as simple as a dry drain trap or as serious as a cracked lateral. Here's how to narrow it down before you call anyone.

Emergency

Sewer Backup in Your Basement: What to Do in the First 30 Minutes

A safety-first checklist for the first 30 minutes after a sewer backup, plus why documenting the damage before cleanup matters for insurance.

Technician using a surface receiver to trace a sewer line locating signal in a yard

Problem-solving

How Sewer Line Locating Works

Before anyone breaks ground, a sonde transmitter and surface receiver can trace your sewer line's exact path and depth. Here's how the technology works and why skipping this step gets expensive fast.

Technician reviewing recorded sewer line video inspection footage on a monitor

Problem-solving

The Real Benefits of Sewer Line Video Inspection

A verbal diagnosis is only as good as the person giving it. Recorded sewer line video gives you proof, a second opinion, and a paper trail you can use for repairs, insurance, or a home sale.

Home inspector performing a sewer scope inspection at a house sale in Troy, Michigan before closing

Problem-solving

The Home Buyer's Guide to Sewer Scope Inspections

A practical guide for Michigan home buyers on what a sewer scope inspection checks, why it's not part of a standard home inspection, and what to look for in the report.

Cracked and offset vitrified clay sewer pipe joint captured during a camera inspection in Metro Detroit

Local-specific

Why Clay Sewer Lines Fail Across Metro Detroit's Older Neighborhoods

Vitrified clay laterals were standard for decades across Metro Detroit, and most are now 60 to 90 years old. Here's why they fail and how a camera catches it before a full collapse.

Sewer camera inspection equipment set up outside a home cleanout

Prevention

How Often Should You Get a Sewer Camera Inspection?

There's no single answer for every home, but age, history, and life events all point to a schedule. Here's how often homeowners in Sterling Heights and Warren should actually be scoping their lines.

Technician reviewing a sewer camera inspection cost estimate with a monitor showing pipe footage in a Metro Detroit home

Cost & insurance

How Much Does a Sewer Camera Inspection Cost in Metro Detroit?

A straightforward look at what homeowners in Sterling Heights and Troy actually pay for a sewer camera inspection, and the factors that move the price up or down.

Get clear video evidence before you dig.

Same-day sewer camera inspection across Sterling Heights, Macomb County & Metro Detroit. Free quote — call (614) 830-0578 or request a callback.

13+ years experience • Licensed & insured • 24/7 emergency response

(614) 830-0578 Get a Free Quote