A plumbing inspection is an essential thing to be carried out before you buy a home. If you skip this step, the minor plumbing problem today will appear later as serious problems in future. The worst problem is caused by water leaks which leads to costly maintenance and repairs. Thus, it is important to hire professional plumbing services for a thorough inspection of the plumbing system of the home before you officially buy.
Check out these simple home-buying plumbing tips prior to making that major purchase
Toilets Test
Flush each toilet in the home and make sure they empty and fill correctly. Wait for a while until the tank fills and listen for obvious sounds of leaking. Also check the base of each toilet for evidence of prior leaks.
You can detect the leakage by a simple trick of adding 8 to 10 drops to the main water tank. Do not flush, wait for a few minutes if you do not notice any colored water then there is no leakage. But if there is any discolouration around toilets it’s a sign of water leakage.
Drains
Clogged drainage is a major problem for homeowners. It causes the toilet, bathtub or sink to drain slowly or not drain at all. The water rises at first and makes grinding noise in some cases.The unusual noise is due to the air trapped by the blockage and pushes up when it is dislodged. Turn on all faucets in the kitchen, bathroom, and basement for a few minutes to check.
Faucets and Sinks
Check the sink to ensure that the faucet and drain work properly. Ask the inspector to turn on each faucet, engage the drain stop, then disengage it to check whether the water drains properly. After you’ve turned them off, examine the faucets and wait to see if they drip or not.
Water Heater
Water heater is a very important appliance to inspect. Probably, many homes have tanked water heaters, which may last around 10 years and require inspections and maintenance. Just enquire about the tank’s last flush date. Check the location of the water heater. It should be easy to access and not cause water damage. Check whether the heater is producing hot water. Also, inspect the water heater for any corrosion, worn-out signs, putrid odor, or whining noise.
Sewer System
Sewer systems are very important as they carry waste material from the house to the septic tank or municipal sewer. No matter what type of sewer system you have, it’s must to hire a local plumbing company to have them conduct a video camera inspection of the sewer lines. You should know where the septic tank is located and its capacity. When it was serviced last and the drain field location. If there’s any unpleasant odor then take immediate steps
Kitchen Sink and Garbage Disposal
Check the kitchen sink for any clog build up. Thoroughly inspect the kitchen sink drains effectively, and ask the plumbing inspector to test the faucet and examine the pipes underneath the sink basin for leaks. Turn on the garbage disposal to ensure it works as well.