4 Plumbing Factors a Pre-Sale Plumbing Inspection Can Assess

Before you finalize the sale of your new home, you have to decide which types of professional inspections to pay for in case you want to negotiate with the seller to have them pay for repairs. A home inspector who performs a generalized inspection can help to catch big things (like major roof problems), but you may need other professional inspections as well.

For instance, if the home has a septic system and you haven’t owned a septic system before, you may want to pay for a professional septic inspection so you know what you’re getting yourself into. The same goes for the plumbing system. Like the septic, much of the plumbing system is out of sight, out of mind, and problems may hide until they get serious.

Discover some aspects of the plumbing system that a professional plumbing inspection can assess to give you more peace of mind about the condition of the home before you buy it.

1. Water Heater

A home inspector will likely spend time checking the water heater to make sure that it’s installed correctly and meets safety regulations. But while you should have a water heater that’s not going to explode, you’ll also want to assess its working condition.

A professional plumber can check to see if the water heater is up to date and if it’s well-maintained. For instance, the plumber can check whether the anode rod is in good condition. This will help them assess whether you’re likely to get years of use out of the heater, whether or not it needs repairs, and whether or not it’s likely to waste energy.

2. Condition of Fixtures

The fixtures in the home may look fine, but, in some cases, they could still need work. For instance, your plumber can check to see if the toilets secretly waste water, or if the faucets and bathtubs show lime scale buildup. Things like outdated plumbing elements or slightly damaged fixtures can come into play here.

3. Sewer Line

The sewer line, also called the main drain line, is the large drain pipe that all the wastewater from the home plumbing drains into. If the home has a septic system, that’s where the drain line leads; otherwise, it heads out to the nearest city sewer pipe.

The sewer line on your property is your responsibility once you own the home, meaning that you’ll have to pay for upkeep, maintenance, repairs, and even replacements if anything happens to the pipe. Unfortunately, clogs and even tree roots in the line aren’t all that uncommon. Your plumber can insert a tiny video camera to inspect the interior of this critical pipeline.

4. Hidden Leaks

Even if you believe that the home seller is upfront and honest with you, they can’t disclose home damage that they don’t know about. For example, slow plumbing leaks hidden within the wall may not be visible yet, but could cause problems later (such as wasted water or mold problems).

A home inspector will look for signs of water damage but may not find hidden leaks. Your plumbing contractor, though, needs to be able to identify and locate hidden leaks as part of their job. A moisture meter and a thermal camera are two tools your plumber could use in a professional plumbing inspection to find in-wall leaks.

Whether you plan to buy your first new home or your tenth, the process can be stressful enough without going into the deal blind. Professional inspections can give you a lot more information about the home’s condition, how much you’ll need to budget for repairs and upkeep, and how long you can expect the home’s systems to last for.

For more information about the professional plumbing services we offer, visit Two Men And A Snake’s contact us page and send us a message using our online form.