When you buy a house, it is one of the most important, and most significant, the investment you will ever make. Thus, before you purchase it, you should make sure that it is in the best possible shape. A home inspection should be one of the activities you should focus most on –especially plumbing. If you are unsure yourself, feel free to hire a Professional Plumber who will inspect for you.
What are the few things to look out for?
When in the process of a plumbing inspection, you should take into consideration the following things:
Lead outlets
The very first thing you should look for is the lead pipes –these are pipes that are considered to be highly toxic, especially over time. Many old homes will have lead pipes. Thus, you should choose carefully. While you can get them replaced, you will need to consider whether the replacement will be smart and cost-efficient.
Shut off Valve
The shutoff valve controls the flow of water into the home. You want to ensure that this valve has a smooth function and has not been worn out over the years. You should be able to switch on and off the inflow on the water safely.
Water Heater
Another thing you should look into is the water heater. If it is ancient, it will not be able to fulfil your heating requirements and will need to be replaced. Opt for homes that already have a new and modern water heater so that the number of problems you face is at a minimum. Look for the size of the mineral deposit or corrosion –they are indicators of the health of a heater.
Pipes
Pipes are perhaps one of the essential structural parts of the house. If they have some faults or breaks, then they can damage the entire integrity of the home. Things like massive bursts and water accumulation can lead to walls and roofs breaking. They can also cause significant damage to the foundation of the house. So water leak detection would be the wiser thing to do before you buy a home. It would help if you looked for clean, properly maintained, good quality pipes that are durable.
Sewage
Lastly, another thing you want to check for in the new house is the sewage system. You don’t want to have a backflow of polluted, smelly and toxic water inside your home. More often than not, such problems are much harder to fix. They are also more expensive because the damage is not only internal but also external –flooding can cause furniture damage and the like. When buying a new house, it should be void of such problems. Through the blueprint, understand where the drainage pipes are.
Additionally, get information on how many times it was cleaned and how regularly it was maintained. Get the owners to fix any leaky pipes or have the completely replaced before you purchase the house. You don’t want to ignore small signs that could become more significant problems in the longer run.
Through these tips, you will be able to gauge where your house stands in regards to sewage, and you will be able to make an informed decision regarding whether it’s worth the investment.
