Quick Answer
The main sewer line carries everything that goes down your drains from the house out to the city tap or septic tank. It's buried, so a standard home inspection can't see it. Cracks, tree roots, sagging sections and collapses all happen out of sight, and sewer repairs are some of the most expensive surprises a new owner can face. If you're buying in Mt. Juliet, know the warning signs and have a licensed plumber or sewer specialist camera the line before you close.
A home inspection ends at the house. Once the drain line leaves the foundation, nobody knows what's happening underground unless someone puts a camera in there.
I'm Thomas Smith with InspectShield, and I inspect homes across Wilson, Sumner, Rutherford, and Williamson counties. Sewer line camera work is a separate job for a plumber or sewer specialist, but it's a question buyers ask me about all the time. Here's what you should know.
What Can Go Wrong With a Sewer Line
Underground sewer lines fail in a handful of predictable ways:
- Root intrusion. Tree roots find their way into pipe joints and small cracks, then keep growing.
- Cracks and fractures. Older clay tile, cast iron and Orangeburg pipe all break down with age.
- Bellies. Low spots where the line has sagged and water now pools, catching waste and paper.
- Offsets. Joints that have separated as the soil around them shifted.
- Grease and debris buildup. Slowly narrowing the path until the line backs up.
- Collapses. Sections of pipe that have lost their shape so water can no longer pass.
Most of these give little or no warning until the day a drain backs up into the house.
Why It Matters in Mt. Juliet
A few things about this part of Middle Tennessee make the sewer line worth a second thought:
Older neighborhoods have older pipes. Parts of Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Hendersonville, and Gallatin have homes old enough to still be on clay tile or cast iron sewer lines. Both materials wear out.
Mature trees mean root problems. Established neighborhoods in Mt. Juliet and Franklin have beautiful tree canopies. Those root systems are tireless. They find every joint and crack in a sewer line and grow right in.
New construction isn't immune. Even brand new homes in Mt. Juliet subdivisions can have sags in the line from poorly compacted backfill. The builder is usually responsible during the warranty period, but only if you can show the problem exists.
Soil movement. Clay-heavy soils in parts of the region swell and shrink with the seasons, and that movement stresses underground pipe over time.
Warning Signs to Watch For
On a showing or a final walkthrough, pay attention to:
- Slow drains in more than one fixture at the same time
- Gurgling toilets or drains when another fixture is running
- A sewage smell inside the house or in the yard
- Water backing up into a tub or floor drain
- Unusually green or soggy patches of lawn along the line's route
- Large trees growing near where the line runs to the street
- Fresh patches in the yard or driveway that could mean a past dig
Any of these, or simply an older home with mature trees, is reason enough to have the line checked.
What Your Home Inspection Covers
An InspectShield home inspection covers the plumbing you can see: supply lines, drains, fixtures and the water heater. Slow drains, leaks and other drainage problems we find go into your written report, with photographs, delivered the same day in most cases.
What a home inspection doesn't cover is the buried main line beyond the foundation. Putting a camera in that line is a separate job for a plumber or sewer specialist. That's not a gap in the inspection, it's simply where the inspection ends.
When to Call a Plumber or Sewer Specialist
A licensed plumber or sewer specialist runs a camera through the main line and records what it finds. Consider booking one when you're buying:
- An older home, especially one on clay tile or cast iron pipe
- A new construction home still under builder warranty
- A home with mature trees near the sewer line route
- A home where slow drains, gurgling or sewer smells have come up
- A home with a long run from the house to the street
Ask whether you'll get a copy of the video and whether they can mark the location and depth of any problems above ground. If they find something, get a written repair estimate from a licensed plumber. You can use it to negotiate a repair or credit with the seller, or walk away. Without that information, you usually find out the first time the line backs up.
Inspection periods in Middle Tennessee are often short, so line up the sewer specialist as soon as your offer is accepted.
Related Reading
- Why Every Home Buyer in Middle Tennessee Needs a Home Inspection
- What Is an 11-Month Warranty Inspection?
- How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost in Middle Tennessee?
- Pre-Listing Inspection Guide for Franklin Sellers
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a home inspection include the sewer line? No. A home inspection covers the plumbing inside the house: supply lines, drains, fixtures and the water heater. The buried line out to the street takes a camera, and that's a job for a plumber or sewer specialist.
Is it worth checking the sewer line on a new build? Yes. Sags from backfill and construction debris in the line can show up even on new homes. If you're coming up on your first year, our 11-month warranty inspection covers the rest of the house while the builder is still on the hook.
What if the camera finds a problem? Get a written estimate from a licensed plumber and take it into your negotiation with the seller. Problems found before closing are far easier to deal with than problems found after.
Who should I call? A licensed plumber or sewer line specialist. Your real estate agent can usually recommend one who works on inspection-period timelines.
Schedule Your Home Inspection
Buying a home in Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or Franklin? Book your home inspection with InspectShield and line up a sewer line check with a plumber or sewer specialist alongside it. Call InspectShield at 615-330-7036, email Tomsmith@getinspectshield.com, or get a quote to book your inspection.