Video Check Can Resolve Concern About Sewer Line
Question: We are selling our home, and the buyer’s home inspector expressed concern about the large tree in our front yard. According to the inspector, roots from the tree could be damaging the main sewer pipe below ground. He urged us to find out whether the roots are affecting the pipe and, if so, to take corrective steps before the damage becomes worse.
How do you check out something like this? And is there a way to do it economically?
Answer: Root problems are very common with buried sewer lines, especially with older kinds of piping. The fittings in old underground lines are often poorly sealed and have some degree of slow leakage. This can attract roots, which by their very nature are always on the prowl for moisture and nutrients.
Once roots begin to penetrate the small gaps at pipe connections, their continued growth can separate and damage the lines, and root buildup within the lines can cause raw sewage to back up at sinks, toilets and other fixtures.
If you’ve had no problems with slow or backed-up drains, then concerns over roots in the sewer line may be entirely unwarranted. The fittings in the main line may be well sealed and resistant to intrusion.
Furthermore, not all tree species are prone to invading drainpipe connections. Some have deep tap roots or shallow surface roots, which may pose no problem at all. Consulting a tree specialist could give you some insight as to the inclinations of your tree in this regard.
For a definite evaluation of the integrity of your main sewer lateral, some plumbing companies provide video inspections inside sewer lines. This can be done for a relatively reasonable fee and will show you any defects in the line, including exactly where rot invasion might be taking place. You’ll gain either knowledge of a specific problem needing correction or peace of mind with the assurance that all is well.
Screening Out Trouble: Don’t Sweat Small Stuff
Q: During a home inspection, we learned of a torn screen at the patio door. By law, does this have to be fixed? Also by law, does every window and sliding glass door have to have a screen? Finally, can you use a handle guard to cover a rip, rather than replacing the screen?
A: There is no law requiring repair or replacement of damaged screens on doors and windows, nor is there any requirement that screens even be installed. As part of a real estate transaction, a purchase contract may call for screen repairs, but you’ll have to check the wording on this or ask your Realtor. As to installation of a handle guard on a sliding screen door, this is a common and inexpensive way of addressing a small tear in the screen.
In general, however, conditions of this nature should not become the main focus of a home inspection. It is good that your inspector pointed out minor maintenance items for future attention, but conditions involving function and safety are of far greater import when reviewing the findings in a home inspection report.
Insistence on the repair of minor routine defects can generate bad feelings in a real estate transaction and has been known to make some deals fall out of escrow.
There’s a Reason for the Garage Code: Safety
Q: Our home has a detached garage. We’re planning to add an extra bedroom, thereby connecting the garage to the house. But I seem to remember something about direct access from a garage to a bedroom being prohibited. Is there any way to work this out? What if we call the room something other than a bedroom when we apply for a building permit?
A: It is not uncommon for people to call an addition one kind of room when applying for a permit, then use it for another after the project is finished and approved. However, it would be wise to consider the intent of the building code in restricting direct access from a garage to a bedroom.
The purpose of this prohibition is to prevent exhaust fumes from a car or smoke from a garage fire from entering a room where someone might be sleeping. Circumvention of this safety standard would not be wise. Additionally, your added room would never constitute a legal bedroom, and this could raise concerns when you finally sell the property.
A simple solution would be to build an anteroom--a small entry room between the new bedroom and the garage. This could be a small closet-sized space with a fire-rated, self-closing door on the garage side for firewall compliance.
In this way, you could have your attached garage, your added bedroom and no direct access between the two. Check with your local building department to see if they would accept this approach.
Fast Drainage Needn’t Mean Future Sinkhole
Q: When I bought my home, I was particularly concerned about drainage because of ground water problems where I used to live. I asked my home inspector to pay close attention to this, and he assured me that no drainage problems were apparent. But this week I was draining my hot tub, and the garden hose didn’t reach all the way to the street. So I let the water empty onto the driveway next to my house. I figured it would just cascade downhill to the gutter. Wrong!
It disappeared straight into the ground--all 100-plus gallons of the hot, bromine-saturated stuff. Not a drop showed up in the basement. Not even a clue. What a mystery, huh? What could be going on in the hidden world under my driveway? Am I a member of the Future Sinkhole Society? What, if anything, should I do?
A: Sinkholes are common in Florida but extremely rare in most other areas of the country. The fact that your lot was able to absorb 100-plus gallons is not necessarily a cause for concern.
There are numerous geological variables from one area to another, many of which can affect water percolation. For example, the soil in your area may simply have a sandy composition.
On the other hand, if you’ve noticed any other reasons to be concerned about soil stability, such as signs of building settlement, check with your county engineering department or hire your own geotechnical engineer for a specific site evaluation.
If you have questions or comments, contact Barry Stone through his Web site at https://www.housedetective.com.
Distributed by Access Media Group.
