Are you planning to buy a new house? Do you want to make the most of your investment? Purchasing a new home might be exciting, but finding a proper living place will require more effort and time. You need to check the location, accessibility, and features to support your living. However, we will cover the plumbing issues you might experience in your new house. You can check all the possible areas to ensure that you will not have any plumbing problems. We all know water problems can cause a lot of inconveniences, and you might end up spending on plumbing repair. Hence, take the help of a plumber near me and inspect the house thoroughly before going ahead with your buying decision.
When looking for plumbing issues, you can cover all the areas. We check the bathrooms and kitchen while inspecting a new house. However, you will have to think ahead and check the water pressure, water heater, drinking water, water hardness, water supply, and water damage signs. Look for water damage signs to know about the issues of that house. It might not be easy to inspect a living place for plumbing without experience. However, the following article will help you in this regard. Keep reading and know how to protect your investment and minimize hassles while buying your dream home.
Start From Drain And Water Lines
Most will first inspect the interior of a home to ensure that there are no plumbing issues. However, you can first check the drain line and water line. You might experience many difficulties during your stay when none of them are in good condition. Both these will reveal many things about the plumbing system of the home. You can check the signs of corrosion in the drain line and check the waterline for discoloration and leaks. While inspecting the drainage, turn on the faucets and check the speed. You will have an idea about clogging and similar issues. You can talk to the property owner about slow drainage and stains. All these are indications of plumbing issues.
Ask About Water Heater Installation
While inspecting, you can check the water heater and inquire about the installation year. It is worth mentioning that a water heater comes with a one-decade lifespan. It might look new and perform well, but it will not last long when the installation is more than ten years. You might need to replace it soon when it has crossed the ten years mark. You can ask for a replacement before finalizing the deal. However, you can look for signs of damage if the installation is new. Leaks and rust are the signs of water damage. Check the mechanism and make sure that all are in good condition.
Test Water Pressure
Water pressure will play a determining role when buying a new house. Many ignore this aspect since they cannot imagine the struggle they will go through when the pressure is low. Test the water pressure and ensure it is neither too high nor low. Too high pressure will damage your appliances and cause early replacements. But you will experience other issues when it is too low. All will have to wait for everything when the water pressure is considerably low. Clogging or similar problems might lead to such issues. Talk to the property owner and find a solution based on the condition.
Check The Toilet
You can check the toilet to assess the condition and find plumbing issues. Open the lid and inspect the flush mechanism. You can flush toilets and check whether tanks fill up fast or not. Also, check the underside and around the base for water damage. If there are discolored areas, then it might be an indication of water leaking.
Inquire About Drinking Water
Apart from all these, you can inquire about the drinking water and lead in the water. The maximum amount of lead should be 50 ppb, and any amount above this can contaminate water and cause health issues. Lead particles might seep through the lead pipes and impact your drinking water. You will have this issue, especially in older houses. You can ask for replacing the water pipes when there are more leads in the drinking water.
Know About Water Supply
When inspecting plumbing in a house, you can ask about the water supply pipes. You will not prefer to replace all the water pipes soon after moving in. Hence, ask the property owner about the age of the water supply material and consider replacing them when they have issues. Older homes might have lead or galvanized pipes. When lead pipes can cause health issues, galvanized pipes might rust, erode, and cause other plumbing issues. You might need to replace these materials to get better efficiency.
Check Water Quality
You can also check the quality of the water to avoid future expenses. It is worth mentioning that hard water can cause many plumbing issues. It might cause scale build-up and impact the efficiency of your washing machine, water heater, or similar appliances. You will have to spend on the repair frequently. Also, you will have to fix your pipes regularly if they supply hard water. Hard water can cause low water pressure and make clogs. Inspect the fixtures and think twice if there are scale build-ups. Since you will have to spend on repairs frequently, you can only buy at a reduced price.
Look For Signs, Smells, & Noise
Inspect the property to find any signs of water damage. If there has been water leakage, you might see brown stains on the ceiling. Also, there might be signs in the basement or crawlspace. You can look for all brown spots that indicate a plumbing issue. There might be a smell in the toilet, kitchen, or basement. All these are indications of plumbing issues. Here are smells, noises, and signs you should look for while inspecting a house.
Water stains are a clear indication of plumbing issues in the house. You can hire a plumber Carlsbad whenever there is any confusion. A skilled plumber can offer you the best help, and you can be aware of all the water issues in the house. The noticeable signs will be visible on walls and ceilings. You should never ignore these issues since these are indications of continuous water leakage in the home. Apart from stains, you can look for mildew and mold. The growth of mold indicates the presence of moisture that might happen due to leaky pipes.
Turn on the bathroom and kitchen taps and see the water pressure and flow. It might indicate a blockage in the pipe if the flow starts and stops often. Also, check the color of the water to know if there is a blockage issue. Clean and odor-free water indicates there are no blockage issues. However, smelly and dirty water reveals water issues. Yes, when water is a bit dark and smelly, it is due to leaking or blockage in the pipe.
While inspecting a house, you can hear strange gurgling noises, especially from taps. Once you open it, it might make a strange sound. The water hammer sound might come when the pressure of the supply changes direction and stops due to the collapse of pipes. The gurgling sound comes from air pockets caused by blockage or leakage. All these indicate plumbing issues in that house.
One of the most unpleasant outcomes of a clogged drain is the irritating smell in the bathroom. An irritating odor means there is a blocked sewer pipe. The blocked pipes cannot pass the water. As a result, water will stagnate in that place and create an unpleasant odor.
Also, you can look for green patches on the lawn or a healthy tree in the garden. Maybe, leakage in the pipe allows water to enter the yard and work as a regular source of water supply.
Buying a house means spending most of your savings. However, you can go wrong without proper planning and thorough inspection. While inspecting a home for the first time, you might not detect all the issues, and the lack of experience might not enable you to do a thorough inspection. In that condition, you can consider hiring a plumber Carlsbad. The skilled and experienced professional understands plumbing issues and can detect invisible and visible damages. Hence, you can go ahead confidently.
When Should You Hire A Plumber?
You can hire a plumber near me when buying a new house. A new home presents a lot of surprises, and you will keep spending if you buy without a proper inspection. Before hiring a plumber, you can inspect the house. However, you can consider professional help if you think the house has many plumbing issues. The plumber will assess the conditions and give you an estimation of additional expenses. You can talk to the property owner and ask him to replace damaged pipes and appliances. Also, you can consider other available options when the property owner does not accept your demands.
Plumbing issues are annoying and can cause a lot of inconveniences. You can avoid these problems in your new house with a thorough inspection. However, you can expect the best outcome with professional guidance.