Quick answers: sewer inspections before buying a house
East Vincent requires a camera inspection of the sewer line in its public sewer district. East Goshen, West Goshen, Westtown and Parkesburg do a visual check at sale, looking at sewer vents, cleanouts and where the sump pump drains, but no camera. Nearby, Edgmont, Nether Providence, Upper Darby, Lower Providence, Plymouth and Ambler all require camera inspections.
It depends on your township, and most don't require one by law. You should still get one. A standard home inspection doesn't look inside the buried sewer line, and if that line fails after closing, the repair is yours to pay for.
Usually, yes. Township inspections mainly look for rainwater and groundwater leaking into the public sewer. They're typically arranged by the seller and limited to the outside pipe. Passing one doesn't mean the line is in good shape for you.
When a township requires one, the seller usually arranges and pays for it, along with any required repairs. A buyer's own inspection is negotiable between buyer and seller. Mattioni's $79 main drain clearing includes a free camera inspection, so either way it's a small cost.
Mattioni Plumbing, Heating & Cooling performs sewer camera inspections throughout Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties and is approved to work in every township in this guide. Call (610) 400-8510 to schedule one during your inspection period.
Last Revised: 10/16/26
Whether you need a sewer inspection to buy a house around here depends on which side of a township line the house sits. In East Vincent, the sewer line has to be put on camera before the sale can close. In West Pikeland, a few miles away, there’s no resale inspection at all. In between are towns that require you to check the vent caps and sump pump, but never look inside the pipe.
Home sellers will rarely do more than is required of them to complete the sale of their home. If there’s no legal requirement to check a sewer line, you won’t have the full picture of the property you’re purchasing if you don’t prioritize a sewer camera inspection before the sale is complete.
So, we pulled the rules together in one place. Below is what many townships across Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties require at the time of a home sale, as of October 2026. We compiled this list of towns, complete with links straight to their own ordinance, so that instead of digging through a dozen municipal websites, you can check the source for your town in one click.
We’ll let you know what those township inspections actually require, and why they often aren’t enough on their own, and what to do if the camera finds a problem.
What’s Ahead:
- Do You Need a Sewer Inspection if Your Town Doesn’t Require One?
- Why A Sewer Camera Inspection Matters
- Sewer Inspection Requirement by Township (October 2026)
- What Township Inspections Check and What They Don’t
- What a Sewer Camera Inspection Finds
- How to Get a Sewer Inspection Before You Buy
- The Bigger Picture: Why More Townships Are Adding These Rules
Do You Need a Sewer Inspection if Your Town Doesn’t Require One?
Not legally. But in most cases, you should get one anyway. Here’s why.
In most of Southeastern PA, you own the sewer line from your house all the way to the public main, usually under the street. If it’s cracked, collapsed, or full of tree roots, the repair cost is yours to bear once you’re the owner. A full sewer line replacement is one of the most expensive repairs a homeowner can face.
Your home inspection won’t catch it. A general inspector runs water and checks the plumbing they can see, but a standard inspection doesn’t include a camera inspection of the buried line. A pipe might drain fine for 30 minutes and still be partly blocked by roots, sagging in the middle, or cracked at a joint. Those problems won’t present themselves during the home sale process, but tend to show up months or years later.
A sewer camera inspection is especially worth it if:
- The home was built before 1980.
- There are mature trees in the front yard or along the street.
- The house has sat empty, so slow drains or backups wouldn’t have shown up.
- The seller mentions past clogs, snaking, or root treatments.
Why A Sewer Camera Inspection Matters
Here’s something that happens all too often to ordinary folks in our area. A family closes on a house, moves in, and within the first year or two, the basement floor drain backs up. At that point, a sewer camera inspection is prescribed, and it shows tree roots, a crack, or a collapsed section that’s been there for years.
The problem was there. It just never showed up while the house sat on the market. At that point, the problem is entirely yours.
- The seller is gone. Your inspection contingency has ended, and if the seller didn’t know about the problem, there’s usually no one to go back to.
- It rarely happens at a convenient time. Sewer lines tend to fail during heavy use: a full house, holiday guests, a stretch of rain. Then it’s an emergency, not a planned project.
- The pipe is only part of the bill. A sewer repair can also mean digging up the lawn, driveway or patio, restoring them afterward, pulling permits, and cleaning up a basement backup, including flooring, drywall and anything stored down there.
- Insurance may not help. Standard homeowners policies often exclude sewer lines that fail from age or roots. Our guide on whether homeowners insurance covers sewer line replacement explains what to look for.
- It lands when money is tightest. The first year in a new home already comes with moving costs, furniture, and projects. An unplanned sewer repair can wipe out whatever cushion is left.
Before closing, it’s a negotiation. After closing, it’s a bill.
The same broken pipe plays out very differently depending on when you find it:
| Found before closing | Found after closing | |
|---|---|---|
| Who pays | Negotiable: seller repair, credit or escrow | You do |
| Your options | Repair, renegotiate or walk away | Fix it now or live with the risk |
| Timing | You plan it | Often an emergency |
| Damage to the home | None yet | Possible backup into the basement |
The cheapest protection in the whole transaction
You’ll spend money on an appraisal, a home inspection, title insurance and closing costs. A sewer camera inspection is one of the smallest line items, and it covers one of the biggest risks no one else is checking.
Mattioni’s $79 main drain clearing includes a free camera inspection. For $79, you see the inside of the line before it becomes your problem, with video and a plain-language explanation you can take straight into negotiation. Whether you or the seller covers the $79 is up to you to work out in the deal. Either way, it’s a small price for knowing what you’re buying.
Sewer Inspection Requirement by Township (October 2026)
In the “Camera inspection required?” column, you’ll mostly see three answers:
- “Yes.” The sewer lateral (the buried pipe from the house to the public main) must be recorded on video before the sale.
- “No (visual check only).” An inspector checks things like vent caps, cleanouts and where the sump pump drains, by eye, at the access point. Nobody is required to look all the way inside the pipe with a camera.
- “No sewer check.” Nothing sewer-related at sale, or no resale inspection at all.
Mattioni is approved to work in every township in this guide. Where a camera inspection is required, we can perform it. Where the town does a visual check, we can fix anything that fails, like a sump pump tied into the sewer. Call (610) 400-8510.
In most towns the seller is responsible for arranging and paying for the required inspection and any repairs. Click a town’s name to see its own page.
| Township or borough | Camera inspection required? | What's checked at sale |
|---|---|---|
| Chester County | ||
| East Vincent Township | Yes, in the public sewer district | The lateral is recorded on camera with a Township inspector watching, plus a check for illegal connections. Notify the Township at least 30 days before the sale. |
| East Goshen Township | No (visual check only) | Sewer vent and cleanout caps are in place, and the sump pump drains outside. |
| West Goshen Township | No (visual check only) | Sewer vents and cleanouts are capped, and sump pumps and roof drains aren't tied into the sewer. |
| Parkesburg Borough | No (visual check only) | No sump pumps or roof, yard or floor drains tied into the sewer. The curb vent pipe must stick up 6 inches with a secure cap, and any fixture below street level needs a backwater valve. |
| Phoenixville Borough | No sewer check | The Borough requires a property transfer inspection, but its checklist has no sewer items. |
| Westtown Township | No (visual check only) | Sump pump and air conditioning condensate lines must drain outside or into a ground drain, not into the sewer. |
| West Pikeland Township | No sewer check | No resale inspection for existing homes. |
| Delaware County | ||
| Edgmont Township | Yes, in the public sewer district | The seller's contractor records the lateral on camera with the Township watching, plus a check for illegal connections. The camera step is skipped if a Township-witnessed inspection was done in the last 5 years. |
| Nether Providence Township | Yes | A camera inspection by a NASSCO-certified operator, plus a dye test or smoke test to find illegal connections. Homes built in the last 10 years are exempt. |
| Upper Darby Township | Yes | A plumber licensed in the Township camera-inspects the lateral, and the Township reviews it for defects. Buyers can get up to 12 months after closing to fix what's found. |
| Radnor Township | No (visual check only) | Township staff check inside and outside the house for illegal connections to the sewer. The seller must apply at least 30 days before settlement. |
| Montgomery County | ||
| Lower Providence Township | Yes | The seller's plumber or contractor records the lateral on camera from the house to the main and files a report with the Township. |
| Plymouth Township | Yes | A master plumber registered with the Township records the lateral on camera and checks for leaks and illegal hookups. If repairs can't be done before closing, the buyer can sign to finish them within 30 days. |
| Ambler Borough | Yes | A master plumber records the lateral on camera and issues a certified report on its condition. |
Requirements as of October 2026. Township rules change, so confirm with your township or agent before scheduling.
Don’t see your town?
We couldn’t check every municipality, and new rules keep arriving. Ask your agent, then call the township’s code or zoning office and ask two questions: “Does a resale use and occupancy permit require a sewer lateral inspection?” and “Who is allowed to perform it?” Homes on a septic system follow a separate process through the Chester County Health Department.
What Township Inspections Check and What They Don’t
Township sewer requirements exist to protect the public sewer system, not your plumbing. Their main target is rainwater and groundwater getting into the sewer, through cracked pipes, missing cleanout caps, or sump pumps and downspouts tied into the line. That extra water overloads treatment plants and can cause overflows, so towns are under pressure to stop it.
That focus shapes what a township inspection tells you:
- It’s built to answer the town’s question. Is clean water leaking in? Are there illegal connections? A line can pass while still having roots, a sag, or old pipe nearing the end of its life.
- It’s usually arranged by the seller. The seller has every reason to do exactly what’s required and nothing more.
- It often covers only the outside pipe. The buried drain under the basement floor may not be included at all.
- “Sewer checks” towns never look inside the pipe. A capped vent and a sump pump running outside say nothing about whether the line is cracked or collapsing.
So even in a town with a camera requirement, ask for a copy of the seller’s video and report. Then consider your own inspection, with someone working for you, scoping the whole buried line from inside the house to the main.
What a Sewer Camera Inspection Finds
A technician feeds a waterproof camera on a flexible cable through a cleanout and into the line. You can watch the inside of the pipe on a monitor in real time. A locator on the camera head can even show where a problem sits in the yard and how deep it is.
Here’s what the camera commonly turns up, and what each finding tends to mean when you’re buying:
| Finding | What it is | What it usually means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Tree roots | Roots growing in through joints or cracks | Light roots can often be cleared and maintained; heavy roots usually mean damaged pipe |
| Belly (sag) | A low spot where waste and water collect | Small bellies may just need routine cleaning; long ones often lead to repeat clogs |
| Offset joint | Pipe sections shifted out of line | Minor offsets are common in older lines; large ones catch debris and may need repair |
| Crack or break | Structural damage in the pipe wall | Usually a spot repair or replacement, and worth negotiating |
| Collapse | Pipe partly or fully caved in | Replacement in most cases; a serious negotiating point |
| Buildup or scale | Grease, sediment or corrosion narrowing the pipe | Often fixed with cleaning or jetting; heavy corrosion in cast iron can signal end of life |
| Old material | Clay, cast iron or Orangeburg pipe | Not a failure by itself, but tells you how much life the line likely has left |
Not every imperfection is a problem. Most older lines have some wear. What matters is whether a defect is likely to cause backups or a failure, and that judgment call is why it helps to have someone who repairs sewer lines read the video. For more on how the process works, see Do I Need a Sewer Camera Inspection?
How to Get a Sewer Inspection Before You Buy
When: Schedule it during your inspection contingency period, ideally the same week as your home inspection. That leaves time to get a repair estimate if something turns up.
Access: You don’t own the house yet, so your agent arranges access through the seller’s agent. The technician needs a way into the line, usually an outdoor cleanout or one in the basement. If there isn’t one, a toilet may need to be pulled. Ask the listing agent where the cleanout is when you book.
How long it takes: Most inspections take about an hour, sometimes longer for long or tricky lines.
What you get: Video of the line, a walk-through of what the technician saw, and a written summary you can share with your agent.
Cost: Mattioni’s standard $79 main drain clearing includes a free camera inspection. It needs an outdoor cleanout and is available during business hours. Whether the buyer or the seller pays for it is up to you to work out in the deal.
What to ask for: Tell the technician you’re a buyer and want the full buried line scoped, from inside the house to the connection at the main. Ask for the video file and for any defects to be located and marked.
The Bigger Picture: Why More Townships Are Adding These Rules
Most townships won’t dictate a timeline that forces homeowners to face the cost of fixing their sewer lines. But when you’re buying a home, it makes sense for both you and the township to care about it.
Here’s the short version as to why they care: towns are trying to keep rainwater out of the sewer.
- Rainwater overloads sewers. When it leaks in through cracked pipes, open cleanouts or sump pumps, the system can overflow in storms, and the town pays to treat water that isn’t sewage. The state has been pressing towns to fix it.
- Much of the leakage starts on private property. Towns can’t easily inspect thousands of private sewer lines, so a home sale becomes a natural checkpoint.
- More towns are adopting these rules. A town with no requirement today may have one by the time you sell.
- Not everyone likes them. Critics say they’re slow, since homes don’t sell often, and that sellers can face big repair bills right before closing.
What it means for you: check your town’s rules every time you buy or sell. A healthy, documented sewer line makes life easier.
Buy Your Next Home With Your Eyes Open
Buying a house means taking on a lot of unknowns. Your sewer line doesn’t have to be one of them.
- Book your inspection early. Call Mattioni at (610) 400-8510 as soon as your offer is accepted.
- See exactly what you’re buying. We’ll scope the line, show you the video, and explain what we find in plain language.
- Negotiate with confidence. If there’s a problem, you’ll have the footage and a real repair estimate to take to the seller.
Mattioni has served homeowners across Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties for more than 75 years. You’ll move in knowing your sewer line is sound, or knowing exactly what it needs and who’s paying for it.
