Drain Inspection, Sewer Scope, or Pipe Scoping? What Reno-Area Homeowners Need to Know

Drain Inspection, Sewer Scope, or Pipe Scoping — Are They the Same Thing?

If you've searched for a drain inspection, an underground pipe inspection, or pipe scoping in the Reno area, you've probably noticed the terms get used almost interchangeably. That's because they all describe the same core process: running a specialized camera through a sewer or drain line to see conditions that are otherwise invisible. A sewer scope inspector, a drain camera technician, and a pipe scoping service are typically performing the same inspection under different names.

What an Underground Pipe Inspection Actually Involves

A waterproof camera attached to a flexible rod is inserted into the line, typically through an existing cleanout. The camera is fed through the entire underground pipe run, from the home to the city main or septic connection, while the technician watches a live video feed and records footage of what the camera sees along the way.

What a Home Sewer Inspection Can Reveal

A thorough sewer line inspection can uncover root intrusion, cracked or offset pipe joints, bellied sections where the line has settled, grease or debris buildup, and signs of aging clay or cast iron pipe. In Northern Nevada, older Reno-area homes with original clay sewer lines and properties with mature trees near the line are especially common candidates for these issues.

Why the Inspector's Credentials Matter

Bob Parmenter of Home Inspection Associates, LLC holds Nevada's Inspector of Structures "State Certified Master Home Inspector" certification — the highest level the state offers, held by just 17 of Nevada's 283 certified home inspectors. That level of certification, combined with InterNACHI and IAC2 credentials and 9,000+ inspections since 2007, is what separates a properly documented sewer scope inspector from someone who simply owns a camera.

Every Sewer Scope Includes Full Video and Sewer Line Marking — No Extra Charge

Many companies charge extra for a video record of a drain or pipe inspection. We don't. Every sewer scope inspection from Home Inspection Associates includes a complete video recording of the line, plus flags marking the physical location of the sewer line on the property, so you know exactly where it runs before you dig, landscape, or build.

Home Inspection Associates, LLC performs drain inspections, sewer scope inspections, and underground pipe inspections throughout Reno, Sparks, Fernley, Fallon, Carson City, and surrounding Northern Nevada communities. Call 775.842.5916 to schedule.