When shopping for a house, you may immediately fall in love with one that has all the bells and whistles that you are looking for. You may like the kitchen, the bathroom, the storage space, the lot size, and more. But don’t sign on the dotted line without checking out the home’s plumbing features.
(Pixabay / paulbr75)
Before the sale is finalized, it’s important to bring in an inspector to look for any potential problems with your house. It’s also a good idea to hire a professional plumber to detect any issues that a general inspector may miss. Otherwise, you could end up buying a home with a defective plumbing system that could cost a fortune to correct.
The plumber should inspect the following features:
- Toilets – The house that you are planning to buy could have a beautifully renovated bathroom, but if you notice a wet spot at the base of the toilet, beware. That harmless spot could indicate water draining between the subfloor and the finished floor. You may not realize the full extent of the trouble until the bathroom floor is already structurally weak from water damage. A professional plumber can detect the problem before it has a chance to grow.
- Sewer line – When you look at the house you want to buy, you won’t see the sewer lines because they are buried. If the main sewer line is about to collapse, however, you’ll have a catastrophe on your hands. Replacing the main sewer line will entail a lot of time and money. Have the drain cleaner and rooter inspect the line before you buy.
- Water heater – The normal lifespan of a water heater is 10 years. It could be shorter or longer based on how the water heater is used. Find out the age of the water heater. Consider its location in the house. If it is in an area where it could cause major damage if it leaks, consider moving it.
A home is a giant investment. Make sure that you do not tie yourself down to even more expenses for plumbing repairs.