Buying an Older Home? Use This Plumbing Checklist Before You Buy

January 25th, 2019 Posted in Plumbing Maintenance
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Buying a new home can be daunting, especially when you are considering an older home. You may be concerned about hidden costs and repairs that may be revealed after you buy. A thorough home inspection can help uncover possible issues, but home inspectors may not see issues hidden behind walls or under the home in the plumbing. Before you buy, there are some areas that should be inspected by a professional plumber.

Complete Plumbing Inspection

Plumbing problems are not always apparent, especially during a standard home inspection. You need a plumber that can evaluate the type of piping and possible plumbing issues that may surface in the next few years. Some of the plumbing elements that should be inspected before buying an older home include:

  • Water heater performance
  • Type of piping – old lead pipes and polybutylene pipe often will need replacement
  • Video camera inspection of sewer lines
  • Septic system evaluation
  • Inspection of sump or ejector pumps
  • Check for leaking fixtures or pipes
  • Test water pressure and draining performance
  • Water quality testing and well evaluation

Having a professional evaluation of all the plumbing in the home can reveal any possible issues that will need repair or replacement. This can give you a chance to negotiate with the current owner to have plumbing issues resolved or a lower sale price to cover your costs.

Older homes can become money pits if there are hidden problems, especially with your plumbing. It is worth the investment to have a separate plumbing inspection performed to investigate all the items on this checklist to ensure you are making a wise purchase with your new home.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing, Inc.
106-M Oakgrove Road
Sterling, VA 20166
(703) 435-4441

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Three Good Reasons To Have Your Water Tested

March 26th, 2014 Posted in Water Line Repair
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It’s easy to take the water coming from your faucets for granted. We assume that it’s safe, especially those who use a water filtration device for their drinking water. However, there are good reasons to have your water periodically tested, even if you are using filtered or bottled water for drinking.

Contaminants can also effect the food you prepare, adding harmful bacteria and other substances to your body. In addition, your water may causing damage to your plumbing, which could cost you plenty down the road. Here are three good reasons to schedule a water testing with your local plumber.

  1. Toxins – There are toxins that can get into your water supply, even on city supplied water. Nitrates from fertilizers, lead from old pipes or even excess chemicals used at treatment plants can taint the water you drink. Having your water tested can ensure that it is safe for your family to drink and use for cooking your food.
  2. Bacteria – One of the main reasons to have your water tested is to identify any harmful bacteria that may be in your water supply. Testing for total coliform bacteria and E. coli bacteria should be performed regularly to ensure that your water is safe for consumption.
  3. Protecting your pipes – Many minerals and bacteria can cause harm to your pipes over time. Excess levels can corrode the interior of your pipes and lead to expensive broken water pipes as well as water damage in your home.

Water testing can be expensive if you don’t refine what you are testing for. Talk to your local plumber about what environmental elements are common problems in your region to narrow down what you should be testing for in your water.

Posted on behalf of Shawn Bynum, Bynum Plumbing

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