You've finally found your dream home! Not only is it beautiful inside and out and the perfect size for your family, it's also close to your work, it's in a great school district, and there are plenty of children in the neighborhood for your kids to play with!
But before you finalize the sale, do yourself a favor and check the plumbing throughout the house to know for sure whether this great house is too good to be true. To help you out, we created this plumbing checklist so you'll know exactly what to look for:
Check the Plumbing Before You Buy
- Run the faucets and shower on both hot and cold to make sure everything is working properly.
- Inspect the pipes looking for 3/4" pipes connecting the water source to your home, and at least 1/2" pipes from the faucets to guarantee your water pressure will be sufficient.
- Flush the toilets so you know they are functioning properly.
- See that the toilets and sinks are firmly in place, aren't loose, and don't move under pressure.
- Look for warping, discoloration, soft spots, mold, and mildew on the floor, walls, and fixtures as any of these could be signs of a leak somewhere.
- Take note of the water heater's location making sure it's not inconveniently placed or situated so that a leak could damage the walls or floor.
- Survey the water heater looking for rust, corrosion, or drips that indicate it's nearly ready to be replaced.
- If your potential new home is on the older side, verify that the hot water heater is up to code.
- Make sure all sinks and showers drain quickly and easily.
- Check the washing machine supply hose (if there is one) to see if there are any bubbles, blisters, cracks, unraveling, discoloration, crimps, kinks, rust, or leaks that may lead to a flood.
- Look through the crawlspace and/or basement for leaks or shoddy repairs.
The best way to verify all of the house's plumbing is in perfect working order is to call upon your trusty plumber to perform the inspection for you. A professional plumber's trained eye will be able to identify any issues that are present — no matter how big or how small — so you can know without a shadow of a doubt that you need to either negotiate a lower price that will offset your repair bills, or even that you need to walk away from this sale and find a better home with fewer problems.
If you need a plumbing inspection, call Ken's Plumbing — The Picky People's Plumber! We can help you identify pesky plumbing problems and get everything back in proper working order in no time. Just give us a call at (864) 242-5511 or click the banner below to schedule service online!
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