There’s nothing as exciting as purchasing something you’ve always wanted to own. If that something is a huge investment like buying a new house, the euphoria that comes with it may be beyond what you can handle. Regardless of the excitement involved, there’re certain things you shouldn’t miss checking when buying a new house.
There’re certain things that may not be functioning properly in the home. It’s your duty as a prospective home buyer to check every detail before making the purchase. For instance, it’s extremely important to assess the plumbing system of the home to determine whether it’s functioning properly.
No one would want waking up after all the euphoria and find that their new kitchen has flooded or the toilet is clogged. As such, there are certain things you need to verify before buying a new house such as:
1. Flush each and every toilet
As a prospective homeowner, the first thing you should verify in the new home is whether all the existing toilets are flushing properly.
Doing so will ensure that everything in the toilet system is functioning properly, and that there are no toilet clogs, including noting whether the toilets are emptying and refilling properly.
This test is extremely important and it won’t require the services of a plumber to verify. It’s something you can do by yourself.
2. Inspect the drainage system
Having a clogged sink when doing dishes can be extremely frustrating. Thus, before proceeding with other checks in the drainage system, check whether the sinks are draining properly.
You can pour a bucket full of water all at once into each and every sink and check whether they’re draining the water quickly. You can seek assistance from a plumber if you’re not sure how to inspect the drainage system.
3. Test the showers
It’s also important to inspect the bathtubs or showers in the prospective home. Simply turn them on to assess whether the water pressure is good enough for you and whether the bathroom drain is draining properly.
4. Assess the water pressure
It’s easy to check the water pressure of the supply lines. Simply open any tap around the house. If you know a lot more about plumbing, you should know that size matters a lot when it comes to pipes.
The main supply pipes leading to the house should measure ¾ inches or more in size. The pipes connected to the faucets should be at least ½ inches wide.
5. Test the water heating system
Another key element of the home to inspect is the water heating system or boiler. One thing to check is whether the water is hot enough for you before committing to buy the house. The last thing you’d want is waking up only to end up bathing in a bowl or bucket.
Inspect the supply pipes connected to the boiler or heating system to find out whether they’re still in their right shape.
Check whether they’re extremely old or corroded. Corroded supply pipes won’t deliver clean water. Old supply lines and an aged heating system may only serve you for a short period of time.
6. Inspect the pipes
You should also inspect the spaces along which the supply pipes are installed. Ensure they’re installed in safe areas where they can’t be damaged easily. Ensure there’re no corroded pipes, leaking pipes, or pipes that would demand constant patching up.
7. Check for lead in the drinking water
Lead can contaminate water and such water would be a health hazard if someone drinks it. It’s especially lethal when children ingest lead.
While lead pipes are mostly found in older homes, use of lead solder on copper pipes and brass fittings was still common until 1989. Thus, it’s worth inspecting the drinking water for lead. Any lead fittings should be replaced immediately.
8. Assessing the age of the plumbing lines
It’s also important to know the age of the plumbing lines. Knowing their age will tell you whether you really have to do a lot of inspection. For instance, if the plumbing lines are aged, simply have them renovated rather than wasting time to inspect them.
Thus, before attempting to do the inspection, ask the seller when the plumbing lines were installed. Doing so will easily give you an idea or picture of what you’re dealing with in the first place.
9. The last date of inspection
It’ll also help to ask the seller whether the plumbing lines were recently installed or when they were last inspected. Doing so will save you the time you’d spend to do the inspection.
You won’t have to worry much just in case the plumbing was recently inspected. You can as well visit the home with your inspector for professional inspection of the plumbing.
10. The last date of servicing
Upon inspecting and assessing the condition and functionality of the main plumbing fixtures and fittings, it’s also good to check the last date of repair or servicing.
You wouldn’t want to find brown water from the pipes or even worse consume water contaminated with lead. Thus, it’s good to ensure that you get the last date of repair or servicing.
While you may be extremely excited about moving into a new home, it’s necessary to ensure you’ve done all the aforementioned checks to avoid regretting later just in case the plumbing fails.
The best plumbing system is one that functions properly as per your needs. Thus, never compromise on the functionality of the plumbing in your prospective home.
