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3 Plumbing Issues To Inspect When Looking For A House To Buy

8 July 2015 by Luke Fields

If you are looking for a home to purchase, you may want to start by hiring a real estate agent to help you locate homes for sale in your area and within your price range. As you look at these homes, you may want to take a closer look at the plumbing systems in each one, especially if you are not planning on getting a home inspection. Unexpected plumbing issues can cost thousands of dollars to repair, but you may be able to avoid this if you know what to look for. Here are three important plumbing issues to investigate as you shop for a home to buy.

Condition Of The Water

One of the first things to look at in these homes is the condition of the water. This might be easy to determine simply by looking inside the plumbing fixtures, or it might be hard to determine just by looking at it. If you notice stains in all the plumbing fixtures, you can assume that the water is hard.

Hard water contains unwanted minerals, and these minerals often cause tubs and sinks to turn orange, brown, or green. In addition to staining the fixtures, hard water can also cause damage to the plumbing pipes located in the walls and floors. The minerals in hard water attach to these pipes. This can cause corrosion, leaky pipes, and clogged drains.

When a house has hard water, it may need a water filtration system of some kind. These systems come in different sizes and types, but they can be expensive in some cases.

If you examine all the fixtures and do not see any discoloration, the water is probably decent. You may want to ask to find out if the home has any type of water filtration system and what type it has. If the system is rented, this could be another monthly expense you were not figuring on.

Water Pressure

The second plumbing issue to investigate is the water pressure in the house. You can easily do this by turning on the faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms. While you are examining the water pressure in the bathrooms, turn on the shower water and then flush the toilet. If you notice a huge difference in the water pressure and temperature with the shower water after the toilet was flushed, this house may need some updates to the plumbing system.

Older houses often have plumbing systems that use the same water supply pipes for all plumbing fixtures. When this is the case, the house may have problems with water supply when multiple fixtures are being used at once.

Poor water pressure can also suggest problems with the water pump, hot water heater, well, or city water system supply. Problems like this can be costly to fix, and it's always better to fully understand these issues before you buy the house.

Slow-Moving Drains

The final plumbing issue to investigate involves the drains and pipes of the system. You should examine each drain in the house to see how well each works. To do this, turn on the water full blast. Next, watch how the water drains. If it drains at a normal rate, the plumbing pipes are probably clear and in good condition. If they do not drain well, it could suggest clogged drains.

One clogged drain is not a major problem, but if all the drains are clogged there is probably a problem with numerous drain pipes in the home.

Knowing what to look for in homes for sale can help you avoid buying a house with major problems. To learn more about homes for sale in your area, contact a real estate agent today.

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