Buying an Older Home in Norfolk? Let's Talk About What's Hiding Underground.

Norfolk has some BEAUTIFUL old houses. But you know what else might be old? The pipes underneath them.

I know, I know. Sewer lines aren't exactly the sexy part of house hunting. Nobody's walking through a gorgeous historic home in Ghent saying, "OMG, look at that beautiful sewer line!" But while you're busy admiring the original hardwood floors, charming architecture, and gorgeous front porch, there's something underground that deserves a little attention, too.

Your sewer line.

Here in Norfolk, where neighborhoods like Ghent, Colonial Place, Larchmont, and Lafayette are filled with older homes and mature trees, a sewer scope can be an especially valuable part of your home inspection process. And while I think it's worth considering for just about any home purchase, there are a few situations where I'm going to strongly encourage my buyers to take a closer look.

First, the age of the house matters. Older homes can have older sewer lines, and depending on the materials used, those pipes may be more susceptible to deterioration, cracking, or even collapsing over time. Clay and cast-iron pipes, for example, are common in older properties. That doesn't automatically mean there's a problem, but it does mean I'd like to know what's happening down there before we get to the closing table.

Then there are those beautiful, mature trees that give so many Norfolk neighborhoods their character. And can we talk about the crepe myrtles for a second? They're literally Norfolk's official city flower! But here's something worth knowing: if those gorgeous trees are growing in the city's right-of-way, you generally can't just remove them without permission. And while crepe myrtles aren't necessarily more aggressive than other trees, their roots can still find their way into sewer pipes through existing cracks or loose joints. Once inside, roots can grow and create some pretty expensive plumbing headaches. So when I see mature trees near the likely path of an older sewer line, I'm absolutely recommending a closer look. Because beautiful landscaping is wonderful. A surprise sewer replacement? Not so much.

And finally, let's talk about drainage problems. Slow drains, recurring backups, gurgling toilets, or a history of plumbing issues are all reasons to investigate further. Sometimes the problem is relatively simple, but other times it could point to something happening farther down the sewer line. And that's not something we want to discover after moving in!

So, what exactly is a sewer scope? It's pretty straightforward. A qualified plumbing professional inserts a small camera into the sewer line to inspect its interior condition. This allows them to look for things like root intrusion, cracks, blockages, separated joints, or sections of pipe that may have collapsed. It's a separate service from a typical home inspection, but one that can provide valuable information about a part of the property you otherwise can't see.

And here's why I care so much: spending a couple hundred dollars on a sewer scope during your inspection period could potentially save you thousands in unexpected repairs later. Depending on where the problem is located, the depth of the pipe, and what's sitting above it (hello, driveways and landscaping!), sewer line repairs can become expensive pretty quickly.

One more thing worth knowing? Just because your home connects to Norfolk's public sewer system doesn't necessarily mean the city is responsible for every pipe leading to it. Homeowners are generally responsible for their private sewer laterals, subject to the city's specific maintenance and repair rules. That's another reason understanding the condition of the line before purchasing is so important.

Now, does every older Norfolk home have sewer problems? Absolutely not! And newer homes aren't automatically immune, either. The goal isn't to scare you away from that charming century-old house you've fallen in love with. It's to make sure you're making an informed decision about what you're buying.

Because finding out about a collapsed sewer line AFTER you've closed on your dream home?

Yeah… that's not how I like to do things.

So whether you're buying a historic home in Ghent, a cozy bungalow in Colonial Place, or something a little newer elsewhere in Hampton Roads, don't forget to ask about the sewer line during your home inspection.

Your future self (and your bank account) might thank you.