Potential Plumbing Problems In Your Newly Purchased Home
There are lots of features to inspect when viewing a new home. You don’t want to buy anything that doesn’t have enough space for the family, or that has any other construction problems. The majority of issues on a new buyers’ check list are those that are clear to the naked eye. We take the property at face value, and don’t always think about the issues within. Structural surveys and electrical surveys are important, but some new buyers forget about the plumbing. A house with bad plumbing could be a nightmare to run. Inefficient water systems are costly. Damaged pipes and bad drains put the property at risk. Therefore, you need to make sure that the plumbing is safe and sound before proceeding with the sale. Important features to look for include the following.
The water heater:
It is easy to take a water heater for granted. They sit hidden away from view, continually providing the home with hot water whenever it is required. But, even the best heaters have a limited life span. The average is about 10 years. This can seem like a long time. But, you don’t know how long the heater has been running an older property. It might be well past its use-by-date already, making it a bit of a ticking time-bomb once you claim ownership of the property. The location of the water heater is important too. If it were to break down or leak, what would be at immediate risk of damage?
The septic tank and sewer lines
Some properties have a septic tank within the grounds, while others see the waste go straight into the municipal system. It is important to find out which is the case for this new property. A septic tank means extras considerations and responsibilities. Find out about the capacity and when it was last emptied. Check around the tank for any signs of standing water, odours, leaks or other problems. Also be aware that some homes built before 1986 have lead plumbing within the sewer lines. This is a potential health and environmental hazard.
Clogged drains:
This is a common problem in any home. An ongoing build up of dirt, grease hair and other debris narrows the pipes and makes it difficult for water to pass through. We often don’t realise how bad the issue is until sinks refuse to drain properly. Clearing out the drains isn’t a fun task. But, regular maintenance and cleaning can help in the long run. This can be a problem when buying a new property. You don’t know whether the previous owners were good at this sort of maintenance, or have left the new new owners with a big mess. We don’t think to test out the drainage on the sinks when inspecting a property.
Hiring a professional plumber
A professional plumber can help you understand the risks involved with a prospective property. The best solution here is to hire a professional plumber to look at these key areas of the home. These plumber can tell the age of the water heater and notice any signs of damage. They can then advise you if it should be replaced. With the sewer lines, a professional plumber can inspect for damage with video equipment. They are much better able to detect problems with pipes, such as pinhole leaks. If even the smallest leak or crack is detected, it needs to be addressed immediately. Failure to do so could lead to damage within the property and lead leaking into the environment. Finally, your helpful plumber can also check problematic drains. This can provide a good cleaning service on difficult problems. Also, they can see if the drain pipes are actually too small for the property. Replacement pipes could fix drainage issues and improve the water pressure.
Don’t sign on the dotted line until you have completed this plumbing survey
A survey via a professional plumber can flag up any issues with the property before you commit to owning it. This gives you the choice of moving on to another option, asking the owners to fix the issues before the sale, or haggling on the price. The more you know about a property before buying it, the better the experience and the less likely it is that you will receive any nasty shocks. Contact East and Hills Plumbing on 0414 654 568 to see how we can help with your new property.