Here are some Tips on How To Inspect the Plumbing of a House Before You Buy It

Before you decide to buy a house you should inspect the plumbing or have a professional inspect it. If you are not sure what to look for in the plumbing, and do not inspect it, you may have to deal with the plumbing problems, which can get very expensive. If you do find a problem let the homeowners know as compared with the price of buying the house the repairs will be minimal and they should take care of the problem. You do not want to shell out a lot of money for a home and then pay more to repair the plumbing.

When you inspect the plumbing of the home make an appointment to do so. By making an appointment you can come prepared bringing a flashlight and some clothes you do not mind getting wet or dirty.

Here are some tips on how to inspect the plumbing of a home before you buy it.

∗ Find where the water meter is and determine if the shut off valve is working. If the water comes from a well the shut off valve should be inside the house.

∗ Check the size of the water pipes in and around the house. In order to have adequate water pressure when there are a few water lines open in the house there should be a three quarter of an inch to 1-inch line directly from the main water source. Inside the house the diameter of the pipes is generally a half-inch in diameter.

∗ Determine if the plumbing has any lead pipes. Typically homes that were constructed before 1986 tend to have plumbing that is lead or galvanized. This is not always the case though as newer homes can have a lead pipe leading to the water meter.

∗ Be sure the plumbing has protection for freezing weather. The protection can be things such as wrapped pipes and vents, which will close off in the winter when the weather gets extremely cold. If the home uses well water the well should be protected from freezing weather as well.

∗ Inspect the hot water heater. You should check the water heater's capacity, location, and how old it is. Some areas in the home can have high levels of mineral deposits that are in the water that can settle at the bottom of the water heater. When these deposits build up in the water heater tank there will be less room for hot water. If you check the water heater and there is a large build up of deposits you may want to ask for a new water heater.

∗ Find out what type of sewer system the house uses. If the house uses a septic tank find out where it is located, the capacity of the tank, and where the lateral lines are located.

∗ Check all the faucets around the house and make sure they do not drip. This
can seem like a minor thing but a dripping faucet can end up costing you a lot of money on the long run.

∗ Go to all the bathrooms and flush all the toilets. Make sure they empty and fill correctly.

If you do find any problems you need to talk with the owners or the realtor selling the home. They will usually take care of the problems because the house should be in good condition when you make an offer for it. Also you can negotiate a better deal for the home if there are problems and you do not mind fixing them.