Nothing gets you as excited as buying something new in your life. And if the new thing is a massive investment such as a new home, the euphoria can be too much to handle. But, in all the excitement of getting a new home, there might be some things you miss checking in the house.
Many things might not be working well in the house, and that is why it is the job of the prospective homeowner to check them. One of the most important things to check and seen if it works well is the plumbing.
10 Significant Plumbing Things to Be Verified
No one wants to wake up in their new house when all the excitement has died down and see a clogged-up toilet or a flooded-up kitchen. So here are a few things to check on in plumbing as you buy yourself a new home.
1. Flush all the toilets
First and foremost, as the prospective new owner of the house, it would be in your best interests to go around and flush all the toilets in the house. This ensures and affirms to you that everything will be in good order if the toilet empties and refills correctly. This is one of the most important tests to do and it does not even need an expert to check.
2. Drainage system
One irritating thing as you’re doing the dishes is a clogged-up sink. So, before you go any further, check to see if there are any things which would contribute to clogging up your water drainage system. It is best to ask these questions from a professional plumber if you don’t know how to check for them.
3. Turn on the showers
Another important to check on is the showers or bathtubs in your new home. This way you can actually cover two things in particular. No one really wants to shower with low-pressure water, it is just unnatural.
People expect to be hit with the water hard on their heads and therefore this is another important check.
4. Check the pressure
Using the shower method, you can simply check the pressure with which water gushes out of your taps in the house. This can also be done by simply opening any tap in the house. For those who know more about their plumbing, checking the size of the pipes used in the plumbing of the house might also be important.
As is recommended, pipes which connect the source of the water to your house should be at least ¾ inches. The pipes which are from your home to the faucet pipes are expected to be a minimum of ½ inch wide.
5. The water heater
Another vital thing for prospective owners to check is the boiler or water heater system in the house. One, you have to make sure that the water heating system will supply enough hot water for your needs before you can commit to the house.
No one wants to wake up early in the morning to boil water in a kettle to go and bath with water in a bucket. Two, check the pipes which connect to the water heater to see if they are still in good shape. Check if they are not corroded, or if they are too old. Corroded pipes will not give you clean water, and an old water heater will not last for long.
6. Check the pipes
In addition to checking the size of the pipes for their size, it is also advisable to check the spaces where the pipes are located. Ensure that the pipes are in safe locations where it would take something spectacular for them to be damaged.
Make sure that there are no leaky pipes, corroded pipes, or any that would require patching up every single day.
7. Check the lead content in the water
Lead is one of the leading exponents in poisoning especially when it is in water. It is also highly lethal when kids are involved. So if you have kids, then checking for the lead content in the water should be a must. Many people think because lead pipes where never widely used in Australia that this isn’t a concern, but the use of a lead-based solder on brass fittings and copper pipes was common up until as recently as 1989. It’s worth checking.
8. How old is the plumbing system
Despite the numbering on this blog, this should be one of the first questions you should ask before you do anything with the system. If you know that the plumbing system is old, then there is no need to continue inspecting the system because you can simply ask for it to be renovated from the get go.
So before you commit to anything, or start inspecting, ask when the system was last installed. It will give you a clear idea of what you would be dealing with.
9. Last inspection
Another question to ask if the plumbing system was installed recently is to check for its last inspection date. This allows you to save time and not to worry about much if the last inspection was done in recently. Better yet, you could go with your own inspector to check the plumbing system.
10. Last servicing date
As you have finished inspecting and checking all the necessary equipment on the plumbing system, it is best to check when the system was last serviced or repaired. As we mentioned earlier, you do not want to see brown water in your pipes or worse, drink water with lead. So make sure you get a date on the last time they managed to make changes to the system.
So as you move into your new home, make sure you have made the necessary checks so that you will not cry foul when the plumbing system fails. A good system is supposed to meet all your needs, so don’t compromise.
