An inspection that identified root intrusion
At a private residence in Sherman Oaks, we completed a sewer camera inspection and identified heavy tree root intrusion inside the sewer line.
From our Google project updates
Sewer Camera Inspection in Sherman Oaks
For anyone buying or taking over a house, condo or apartment building in Sherman Oaks, Mr. Pipe Plumbing can inspect the sewer line with a camera before work is scheduled. The Census Bureau's 2024 estimates date most of the neighborhood's homes to before 1980, and a line with no known history under an older building is worth evaluating. We explain what the camera reached and what it showed.
- Based in Studio City, CA
- CSLB C-36 #1087910
- Mon–Fri 6 AM–6 PM
- Sat 7 AM–4 PM
Photo not attributed to a specific job.
In Sherman Oaks
Buying a home built before 1980?
For the Sherman Oaks ZIP-code areas, five-year Census Bureau estimates for 2024 put about 71% of homes before 1980 and about 36% before 1960, with the 1950s the busiest single decade. Construction since 2000 accounts for only about 9% of the 2024 Census count.
About 40% of occupied homes have an owner living in them, by the same 2024 Census figures, and the rest are rented. A buyer may be taking on either kind, and in both cases the condition of the underground line can be a blank. A camera inspection evaluates the sections it can reach; the project account on this page, where an inspection turned up heavy root intrusion, shows one kind of finding.
Before any repair is discussed, the buyer hears what the camera saw and which sections it could not reach.
Sources U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5‑year, tables B25034 (year structure built), B25003 (tenure).
How a pre-purchase inspection goes
Bring what you know: backups the seller has mentioned, drains that run slowly, and any cleaning or repair done on the line before. We then work out where the camera can get into the line and what state the line is in, since those two things set how far an evaluation can go. A line packed with buildup may have to be cleaned before there is much to see. Afterward we go through the findings in plain terms, whether that means roots, grease, broken pipe, joints that have parted, a sagging low spot, an offset, or something stuck in the pipe. Damage in the findings means a conversation about repair or replacement options for that line.
When a sewer camera inspection is appropriate, we use specialized equipment to help evaluate accessible sections of a drain or sewer line and explain the findings.
Camera access and visibility depend on the condition of the line, available access points, and whether cleaning is required before inspection.
Does a home inspection in Sherman Oaks cover the sewer line?
Ask your inspector first. What a home inspection report covers depends on the inspector and the scope you agree on. A sewer camera inspection is a separate diagnostic visit. We find out where the camera can enter the line, evaluate the sections it can get to, and go over the results with you before anyone schedules work.
Should the sewer line be checked after a strong earthquake?
Yes, if the drains behave differently after the shaking. Tell us what changed. Breaks, joints that have pulled apart and sections that no longer line up are among the things a camera inspection helps us evaluate, and a cleaning will not fix a break or a separated joint. With no change in how the house drains, we would talk through the symptoms before suggesting a camera.
Should a plumber or the home inspector do the sewer scope?
We do them as a licensed C‑36 plumbing contractor, and we also handle the cleaning, hydro jetting, repair and replacement work that findings can lead to. That lets us explain what each finding means for the line and what we would suggest next. If a home inspector has already scoped the line, tell us what their report said when you call.
What LA Sanitation says is behind more than half of backups
LA Sanitation says more than half of sewer backups are caused by tree roots and by fats, oils and grease poured down drains. It also explains how the grease does its damage: poured down household drains, it cools, solidifies and sticks to the inside walls of sewer pipes, and over time the buildup restricts wastewater flow until it causes sewer overflows in homes.
Roots and grease buildup are two of the things a camera inspection helps us evaluate. When a backup keeps coming back, the inspection can show whether roots, grease or both are in the reachable part of the line, and the findings shape what comes next, such as cleaning or hydro jetting.
Know what happens next
Discuss and assess
Our goal is to identify the cause of the problem and recommend an appropriate repair based on the plumbing condition, accessibility, and scope of work.
Findings and estimate
We assess the issue, explain our findings, and provide an estimate before any approved work begins.
Work completed and confirmed
After approved work is completed, we test the repaired or installed plumbing where applicable, explain the completed work, and provide the customer or authorized contact with the appropriate service documentation.
Pricing depends on the plumbing condition, accessibility, materials, and actual scope of work. If additional work is discovered, it will be explained and approved before proceeding.
In our customers’ words
Read more reviewsReviews of Mr. Pipe Plumbing. These reviews are not attributed to a job in Sherman Oaks.
“I’ve had excellent service experiences with Mr. Pipe Plumbing. Zlatko is always easily reachable, reliable, knowledgeable and extremely helpful with any of my questions. The crew is efficient, personable and they always do excellent work. I recommend them very highly.”
“Extremely communicative, easy to work with, and did the job properly. Price was fair but I like that there was no BS surprise charges or addons ‑ what I was initially quoted was exactly what I paid. Will work with them again in the future.”
Let’s get it looked at
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