A plumbing inspection helps you avoid plumbing problems that may arise after you buy a home. Good-looking houses prepped for buyers can hide several plumbing issues. As such, it is important for you to take your time and assess the plumbing issues that may cause problems in the future. Here is a simple checklist.
Check Water Pressure
Low water pressure can indicate your home has a plumbing problem. Turn on the faucets, flush the house toilet, keep the dishwasher on, and keep all water systems running. Here, you need to see if there is enough pressure in all parts of the home. Low water pressure can indicate blocked pipes and faulty faucets. If only one faucet shows low pressure, then only that faucet might need replacement. However, in instances where the pressure is low in all parts of the home, you may be having a bigger plumbing problem. You may have a leak or blocked pipes.
Inspect the Drains
While the water is still running from all faucets and outlets in the home, check how that water drains. Check how the water from the bathroom drains from the floor, check the sinks, check the drains outside the house, and all other drains. If the water drains very slowly, it might be an indication that the home has a clogging problem or another larger issue. You can use a drain camera inspection service to determine both the cause and the location of the problem.
Slow drains might indicate a problem with the sewer lines. Tree roots may have grown through sewer pipes and are causing clogging. You can go for a sewer scope inspection to be sure what might be ailing the system. If the situation is severe, you can choose not to go ahead with the purchase.
Inspect the Whole System
All the elements in the plumbing system need an inspection. Ensure you take a look at the indoor and the outdoor elements of the system. Make sure that all parts are working as they should without any issues.
- Start with the water heater. Check the age of the tank, the size, and the fuel of the tank. These tanks can last for up to 10 years. If the tank in your house of interest is older than that, you might need to consider a different house or plan for replacement. Ensure that the size of the tank will be enough for the hot water needs of the family.
- Next, check the toilets. A good toilet should not run. If the toilet is running, it will lead to costly water bills every month. Further, ensure that the floor around the toilet base is firm. A soft floor can be an indication that water has leaked and is causing rotting in the subfloor of the toilet. Such a rot can be costly to repair.
- Check the tubs. If the home has whirlpool tubs, note that the tubs can be unhygienic. The piping systems can develop leaks, which are undetectable until they exacerbate.
- The drain lines are expensive to replace. Even if the plumber does not have to dig up the drains, the process can still be expensive, so you need to ensure that they are in good condition. This is the one part of the home inspection that you should not skip. Check the type of piping in the home to ensure that it is not prone to problems in the future.
Listen, Look, and Smell
Your senses can tell you when there is a problem in the system. Listen to how the water moves inside the pipes. If water moves and makes a sound yet there is no open faucet or running toilet, then you may be having a leak. You also need to look for water spots and mold and mildew around the house.
Mold grows on wet areas where water may be leaking. You can also tell there is a problem with a leak if you experience an increase in water bills. Smells can also indicate the presence or absence of a problem. A musty smell, sewage smell, or mold smell can be signs of a plumbing problem that you need to address.
Most often, it’s better to hire a plumber to take care of issues like these. Plumbers know what to look for, and they can perform the inspection in half the time.
