What does Orangeburg pipe look like on a sewer camera?

The clearest published description of the material is a single phrase. Wikipedia's photo caption shows Orangeburg pipe "showing its characteristic delamination in layers of compressed oil tar pitch-impregnated ground wood fibers." On a camera, that means a wall that looks built up in layers and is coming apart, rather than a smooth, uniform pipe wall like plastic or the rough but solid surface of clay.

Wikipedia also says Orangeburg is "inexpensive, lightweight, albeit brittle, and soft enough to be cut with a handsaw." A soft, brittle wall is one that can break down, so damage such as a collapsed or broken section is a reasonable thing to see in an old fiber line. That is our reading, not a rule, and the camera should be trusted over any checklist.

The InterNACHI sewer scope standard gives the report-side version of the same idea. It tells inspectors to report an egg-shaped line, a collapsed line or pipe, a broken line or pipe, a blockage or restriction, and "delamination or deterioration." Those are the findings that, in an older building, should make you wonder about the pipe material. The pipe ovality entry explains why an egg-shaped camera image is different from a documented dimensional result.

A camera sees only the inside of the pipe. It cannot directly show the outer wall, the soil around it, or how much strength the pipe has left. Many things besides Orangeburg can make a line look rough, dark or out of shape, including deposits, damage, roots and lighting. So ask for the whole video and a written note of where the suspicious section starts and ends. Our page on getting your inspection video covers what a complete recording includes.

• Age. Wikipedia says the pipe was made for sewer and drain use during the postwar housing boom and that the Orangeburg company closed by 1974 as PVC and ABS took over. A building from that era is a candidate, though an older building may have had its pipe replaced in part.
• A material change. A transition from one pipe type to another, at a cleanout or a known repair, helps mark where a fiber section begins.
• Records. Permits, invoices, earlier inspection reports and seller disclosures can point to what was installed. Compare them with the footage, since records can be incomplete.
• An exposed piece. A plumber may be able to see the material directly at a cleanout or an existing repair. Do not cut or dig on your own.

Not necessarily. InterNACHI's sewer scope standard says the inspector is not required to "identify the presence of Orangeburg or Bermico (bituminous fiber pipe)." So a report may describe the symptoms without naming the pipe. If the report lists an egg-shaped line or delamination in an older building, ask the inspector or a plumber directly whether it could be Orangeburg.

Plan for the pipe to be replaced or rehabilitated. Wikipedia says the useful life of Orangeburg is about 50 years under ideal conditions but it "has been known to fail in as little as 10 years," and that "it has been taken off the list of acceptable materials by most building codes."

The EPA's report to Congress gives a real-world example from San Luis Obispo, California, where a sample of sewer laterals found that failures were "mainly due to aging construction materials and failed mortar joints, particularly where laterals were constructed from orangeburg or clay pipe." The defects found there included root intrusion, misaligned joints, broken pipes, holes and missing pipes.

Which repair method fits depends on the condition of the pipe along the whole run, which is a call to make with the footage in front of you. Our pages on pipe bursting versus lining and trenchless repair versus digging explain the methods. Until then, put a camera in the line before anyone clears it again, so nobody cuts blindly through a pipe that may be softening.

A layered, out-of-round line in a 1960s building is a reason to ask questions before closing, not a reason to panic. Our page on sewer scopes when buying explains what to ask, and the EPA lists blockages, line breaks and sewer defects among the causes of sewer overflows, which is why a failing lateral is worth resolving on your terms.

If your video shows a line you think may be Orangeburg, HQ can review the footage with you and tell you what we see. We are licensed and insured, run 24/7 emergency service, and give free estimates and upfront pricing on any repair. See sewer repair.

For the current inspection service, see HQ’s sewer camera inspections.