Hello World! Welcome Friends! You found your dream home and decided to make an offer. Then you ordered an inspection only to find a plumbing nightmare hiding behind that beautiful structural façade. In modern times, homebuyer inspections are a requirement to evaluate the state and condition of home installations, and plumbing is one of those priority areas you cannot ignore. On average, Americans spend $ 9,081 on home repairs, and plumbing comes tops. With this in mind, what are the specific plumbing checks you should keep an eye on? Read further to find out.
Water Heaters
According to most manufacturer’s manuals, water heaters have an average lifespan of ten years. However, this will depend on other factors such as water quality, maintenance, installation errors, among many others. In most homes, however, water heaters with multiple functions tend to have a shorter lifespan. For example, if the water heater in question is responsible for warming the home and supplying hot water for all taps, it wouldn’t survive for long.
Before you make that final payment for the home, evaluate the location of the water heater tank. Should there be any leakage from the appliance, would it destroy the hardwood floor or carpeting? How about drywall damage? Your goal in assessing the water heater’s location in the home is to determine if it could cause property damage in the short or long term. Very often, water heaters are placed out of sight for aesthetic reasons. However, as an interested homebuyer, it is your responsibility to take standard pre-emptive measures that would save your purse.
As a tip, ask your licensed plumber to check the model and serial number indicated on the water heater. These help determine the age of the appliance. Your plumber can also evaluate the water heater size and advise if it can accommodate the entire house’s needs. If not, the cost of replacement (including labor charges) should be deducted from the home’s going price.
Toilets and Taps
An often overlooked plumbing issue is a leak at the bottom of a toilet. It often seems insignificant, but it will begin to cause rot within the subfloor if left unchecked. A simple seal of the leakage is not a lasting solution to this problem. Instead, it will move from leakage to a full-blown home repair if care is not taken.
So, what if the seller performed a home hack seal; how can you tell if it was a good job done? First and foremost, look out for a distorted shape at the base of the toilet. In other instances, you will notice some discoloration at the same point. A tell-tale sign is to check whether the toilet bowl moves upon the slightest contact with your foot. Should you notice a sliding or a rocking movement, it could indicate a poor seal or unsecured flange.
Furthermore, as you inspect the house, do you notice leakages in almost all taps in the house, even though they’re closed? They may seem insignificant to an untrained eye, but toilet tap repairs require professionals in that line of business. Mr. Flow Plumbing is one such company with expertise in toilet and tap repairs.
Water Supply Pipes
Consider the home’s water supply pipes as the veins and arteries to the home. A default in them will result in inefficient water distribution in the living quarters. The first thing to do is get your inspecting plumber to assess the ages of the pipes. Moreover, it will be useful to know if they’ve been replaced over the period before being put up for sale. If they’re made of lead pipes, you should be ready to change them completely. To avoid the cost of replacement, forego that house while you continue the search for another property.
Secondly, if the pipes are a mixture of different materials, it usually indicates that minimal repair works have been carried out. Depending on their condition, your plumber can advise whether to change or use them for a few more years before working on them. In older houses, cast iron water supply pipes are common. For health reasons, these are harmful due to their tendency to cause mineral build-up leading to rust and leakages.
Did you know that from the 1970s through to the 90s, polybutylene pipes were popular materials for water supply lines? They are malleable, plastic and grayish. These were great alternatives at the time, but experts detected that the chlorine content in water causes corrosion within these plastic pipes over a period. Your best option is to rely on safer options such as Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC), stainless steel, Cross-linked Polyethylene (PEX), and brass pipes. If the house you’re purchasing has any of these materials for your freshwater lines, you are safe.
Main Sewer
The best way to check this is with a sewer video camera, which you most likely don’t have. A sewer line inspector or a licensed plumber needs to come in at this point. Checking the sewer line right to the street involves checking for tree roots, clogs, rust, or deterioration. Sometimes, an inspection will reveal a collapsing line only held together by the ground around it. Left undetected, the chances of a total collapse of the line are higher, which will become a significant expense to be responsible for.
On the contrary, if detected early, your plumber will determine if the pipe is in good enough shape to be relined. If it’s a clogged sewer, the reason may not always be evident to an untrained eye. Unfortunately for you, simple home hacks you picked up from the internet will do no good for serious plumbing malfunctions. A mixture of hot water and Kosher Salt down your sewer will not do the trick in this case. Drainage problems are serious and could be the reason for a severe underlying problem.
In so many instances, homeowners fail to conduct proper checks on their property before purchasing it. Unfortunately, they only realize the damages when a problem arises. You should avoid being a victim. More so, save the plumber from being the bearer of bad news.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
How To Enhance Curb Appeal Of Your Home
Can Your Property Withstand an Earthquake
Weather Proofing Your Home’s Exterior
Things You Need To Know About Head Gasket
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Toodles,
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