Buying a home is an exciting time: there are so many options and amenities and locations to consider. But also be sure that you do a thorough check of the systems in your home, including your plumbing. The name of the game as you buy a new home should be “no surprises!”
Hiring a professional plumber should definitely be on your list before you sign any papers to purchase the home, but there are actually a couple of things you can do on your own during your initial viewing of the home.
Plumbing Checklist
- Flush all toilets. Simple advice, yet oh so pertinent. Every toilet in the house should be flushed; doing so will reveal if any toilets have a weak flush, run too long, make concerning noises, and more.
- Check the size of the pipes. Low water pressure is not fun, and the size of the pipes can affect this. At minimum, pipes should be ¾ inches from the water source to the home, and ½ inches to faucets.
- Turn on faucets. This includes the kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, showers, tubs, basement sinks, garden hose… all of them. This will help you gauge water pressure and alert you of issues.
- Request to see the water heater. The realtor should be able to show you the water heater and let you visually inspect it for corrosion or build up; additionally, the realtor can tell you when the water heater was replaced and the last time it was serviced.
- Check the crawl spaces. No house tour is complete without knowing about – and inspecting – basements and crawl spaces. Take a look to ascertain water damage, leaky pipes, or repairs to plumbing or fixtures that weren’t done by a professional.
- Check for lead. Be informed if the house your are considering has lead pipes. We recommend not buying these homes, or being prepared to replace all piping.
Do yourself a favor and heed this checklist of things to do before buying a home. If you’re ever in need of a reliable, professional plumber, your friends at Northside Plumbing can always help! Call or text 770-272-2558 or email [email protected].
Recent Comments