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How to the check plumbing when buying a house or apartment

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Melbourne Plumber

The excitement of moving into your own new house or apartment can sometimes make us a little too quick to sign our name on the title deed before checking that a few basic elements of the property are in good working order. Often, the condition of the plumbing system of a dwelling is not even a consideration for some at the time of purchase, which can lead to costly and troublesome repairs later on. The following highlights some of the main things to look for in a quick assessment of the overall health of a plumbing system when shopping for a new home.

First, you should look for the most obvious signs of an unhealthy plumbing system. Bad smells, watermarks, drips and leaks are all worth keeping an eye out for as you inspect the property. Keep in mind that even the smell of a fresh deodorizing spray may be an attempt to mask foul odors caused by an underlying plumbing fault. Because a defective plumbing system can lead to some pretty severe problems, there can often be some clear, easily observable signs of the fault.

You should also test a few things in the plumbing system out around the house when inspecting the house or apartment. For example, flush the toilet and see if you notice anything unusual; run the taps in a sink and see in the water drains properly; run water from the hot tap and see how long it takes to warm up. Problems in these areas could indicate a defective toilet cistern, drain blockages and a faulty water heating system, all of which may be red flags when buying a new home.

When going through the process of buying a new home, checking the state of the plumbing is one more thing to add to a long list of to do tasks. What’s more, it can be a daunting task for the inexperienced, and you might worry that you could miss a telltale sign of bad plumbing. If so, you might be better off enlisting the services of a professional plumber to carry out an assessment for you. Fees for this kind of work are relatively small and can save you a lot of hassle in the long run. There are a large number of licensed plumbers in Fairfax, VA. who will gladly carry out such an inspection.