Kief Manning of First Defense Building Inspection in Tucson, Arizona runs a camera through the sewer line before you buy or after you suspect trouble. Kief is licensed by the Arizona Board of Technical Registration (#76157), flies as a licensed drone pilot, and works as a disaster relief inspector. If you want to know what is happening under the yard, call (520) 505-1423.
Need a sewer line checked? Call (520) 505-1423 or Schedule an inspection. See pricing and other inspection services.
What we inspect
A sewer scope sends a small waterproof camera down your home’s main drain line so we can see the inside of the pipe. We look at:
- The pipe material, such as clay, cast iron, ABS, or PVC
- Cracks, breaks, and offset joints
- Roots that have entered the line
- Sags or low spots where water and waste collect
- Scale, buildup, and blockages
- Signs of a collapsed or deformed section
We start at an accessible cleanout, so access matters. If we cannot reach the line or the camera cannot pass an obstruction, we will tell you what we could and could not see.
Who it is for
Sewer scopes are for home buyers, especially on older houses, and for owners who have had slow drains, gurgling, or odors. Sellers sometimes scope ahead of listing so nothing comes as a surprise. It also makes sense for anyone buying in an older Tucson neighborhood where the original pipe is still in the ground. We scope lines in Tucson, Oro Valley, Marana, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Vail, Sonoita, Benson, Arizona City, Casa Grande, and Maricopa. A scope is often added to a full home inspection.
What the report includes
You get a written report with photos or stills from the camera, plain-language findings, and suggested next steps. We describe what the pipe looks like, where in the line we saw it, and why it matters. If we find damage, the next step is usually a plumber or a sewer specialist for a closer look and repair options. We do not make repairs, and we do not guess about parts of the line we could not see.
Southern Arizona issues we see
Sewer lines here have their own patterns:
- Older clay lines that crack, shift, or separate at the joints
- Cast-iron pipe that rusts and flakes from the inside over decades
- Roots from mesquite, palo verde, and other desert trees that go after moisture in the line
- Bellies or sags where soil settled under the pipe
- Drainage and irrigation that soften the ground around buried pipe
- Cleanouts that are buried, missing, or hard to reach
Not every crack means the pipe needs replacement. A scope shows the condition so you can decide with facts. For a broader picture of a home’s condition, see seller home inspection if you are listing.
How to book
Call with the address and let us know if you know where the cleanout is. If you are buying, book the scope within your inspection period, alongside or right after the home inspection. We take calls seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also email FirstDefenseInspection@gmail.com, or write to 8987 E Tanque Verde Rd, Ste 309 #156, Tucson, AZ 85749.
Call (520) 505-1423 or Schedule an inspection.
Cost details are on our pricing page. To see everything we offer, visit inspection services.