The whole process of buying a home can be a tricky one, and it’s even worse if it’s your first home. For many people, it’s the biggest purchase of their life, and it requires you have to try to keep a cool head in what can be a very stressful & emotional decision. Performing a new home plumbing inspection may save you a lot of money down the road.

Once that you have found a house that you like, however, you then need to try and put aside the emotion and treat it like any other product that you are thinking of buying. And that means you need to do a new home plumbing inspection to ensure that you are getting what you think you are getting, and not unwittingly buying a property riddled with problems.

Performing a New Home Plumbing Inspection

One of, if not the most important inspections that you can do is of the plumbing system. With a plumbing inspection, you can not only detect issues which you have now, but you can also look for potential problems in the future.

Water damage can be very serious, and if not dealt with, can affect a home not only visually, but even structurally, which can be very dangerous for those in the house. Plumbing work can be disruptive and add in an extra cost that you would probably want to pass onto the sellers, and this is why it is so important to get a plumbing inspection done before you go through with the purchase of a house.

What to Check During a Plumbing Inspection

Some people decide to get a professional to carry out their plumbing inspection, but others prefer to carry it out themselves – which is fine if you know what you are looking for – but it is important that should you have any doubts, you go to a professional for a more informed opinion.

  • Sewer Camera Inspection – You should get an inspection of your sewer pipes to ensure that there are no issues with your sanitary and storm sewer. If your home is older, often there are a number of trees nearby, which can result in the growth of roots which can get into the sewer pipe. The solution is to hydro jet the pipes and then create a plan to avoid them growing again. For those with a new house, the way that some people construct the house can often mean that blockages occur and damage can be caused to the foundations of the house.
  • Valves and Water Meter – A great way to check if there is a leak in the plumbing system is to close all of the faucets and then look to see if the water meter is still turning. If it is, then you have a leak somewhere. Then shut off each valve individually to check that no water is getting past.
  • Water Heater – Check the water heater for corrosion and that it is big enough for the number of people who would be moving in
  • Sinks, Faucets and Toilets – Check that they are all working and draining properly by fully opening and closing.
  • Septic Tank – If the property has a septic tank, ask the current owners if everything is working ok, and look out for any mysterious odours or standing water, which are signs that all is not how it should be.

Once your new home is purchased, you’ll probably have lots and lots of plans, and you’ll be surprised at how many times you’ll run into plumbing problems – but have no fear as Wentworth Plumbing is here! If you run into any issues with plumbing in your new home and want a plumbing company that won’t break the bank, then give us a call at (905)-389-5555 or check out our Contact Us page for more ways to reach us.  We serve the Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford and Oakville areas.