DEPEW, NY, May 19, 2013—While a home inspection is standard protocol when purchasing a home, many buyers overlook one major type of inspection before move-in day, and if a problem is brewing, it can lead to some nasty consequences later on. What type of inspection is not included in the traditional home inspection? A sewer inspection.

“Too often, buyers are unaware that the responsibility of the sewer line leading from the street to the home falls on their shoulders,” says Peter F. Hunt, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of HUNT Real Estate ERA. “Should a problem with the line occur, the cost of repair can be a staggering $5,000—not to mention a seriously messy clean-up.”

An old septic tank can explode or degrade over time. Not only is the smell extremely unpleasant and lingering, but the mess is unsafe and hazardous to your health. Additionally, it can cause major damage to your home and surrounding property. “A damaged sewer system can disrupt your bathroom fixtures, as well as flood your property, wreck your landscaping and seriously offend the neighbors, says Hunt.

“A sewer line inspection, often done using a camera to scope out any internal issues, can be done by a professional for anywhere from $200 -$500, depending on the depth and length of your pipes,” Hunt notes. While this may seem like a hefty inspection fee to some, it is a mere fraction of what you will pay if a pipe or tanks erupts down the line.

“Because plumbing lies underneath the house, it doesn't get as much attention as say, the roof,” says Hunt, who notes that a sewer inspection is usually an afterthought when purchasing a home. “But the inspection is just as important for the overall financial security of your home, especially if your place is over 20 years old, or has been vacant for a length of time.”

One of the largest causes of sewer disruption is root growth, so if your property has a good amount of trees—especially mature trees with visible root growth—it's increasingly important to get a sewer inspection in order to stave off a financial burden and a huge mess down the line.

For more information on home inspections, please contact HUNT Real Estate ERA at PHunt@HuntRealEstate.com, 800 688 1170, or HUNT Real Estate ERA.

About HUNT Real Estate Corp. HUNT Real Estate Corp. is the parent company of HUNT Real Estate ERA. With 33 branches strategically located throughout western, central, and upstate New York and Phoenix, Arizona, HUNT Real Estate ERA is the largest family-owned and operated real estate company in the area. A leader in the residential real estate industry with over 100 years of experience, HUNT also operates a commercial brokerage as HUNT Commercial Real Estate, a mortgage banking firm HUNT Mortgage, two insurance agencies HUNT-Vanner Associates and HUNT Insurance Agency, a title agency Network Title Agency of New York, an award-winning Relocation division, a residential building company and a fee-for-service brokerage. HUNTs mission is to build its sales presence through successful sales associates, to grow profitably, and to provide the highest quality of real estate and homeownership services in the markets in which it operates. For more information regarding real estate listings in your local market and HUNTs homeownership services visit www.huntrealestate.com or become our fan on Facebook at www.facebook/huntrealestate.com.