If you think that what you don't know can't hurt you... Think again. Non-disclosure is a very big deal in the real estate industry and sometimes situations arise after the close of escrow that nobody knew or thought to disclose and the finger pointing begins.

An often overlooked way to protect yourself and your clients is by finding out the actual condition of the main sewer line while you are in the contingency period. Having a sewer line inspection done can help to put the buyer at ease while at the same time preventing the realtor from a potential lawsuit after the close of escrow.

What many realtors and homeowners do not realize is that in the L.A. area the homeowner is responsible for the main sewer line all the way out to the city connection. Their responsibility does not end at the property line. If there are problems under the street the repair costs can be astronomical. Finding out about any such conditions early on is key.

Some materials used for sewer pipes have a design life expectancy of approximately 60 years which means that many of the homes that are being bought and sold nowadays are on a system that is past its design life.

Often, conditions found during a main sewer line inspection are remedied by regular rootering or hydro-jetting (a high pressured water cleaning of the line). Sometimes more extensive problems can be found which may require digging up the line and making repairs to or replacements of a portion of the line or the entire system.

There have been instances of a homeowner believing they are connected to the city sewer and even being charged regular fees for such, only to find that they are on a septic or cesspool system. Although permits were pulled and fees were assessed for this service, the actual connection was never made. This can be a very costly item to fix and it is best to find out about it on the front end of the deal so that proper negotiations can be made.

Not even brand new installations are free of flaws 100% of the time. Usually new homes are under warranty but it is best to find and remedy any potential problems before they manifest themselves inside the home.

Remember, none of this system can be viewed without the aid of a camera. You can't know the actual condition if you don't have it inspected. When choosing an inspector the ideal choice would include someone who does not perform or sell repairs. That way you can ensure that you get findings and recommendations that are unbiased.