Why Should I Get a Plumbing Inspection?

Being a homeowner comes with a lot of responsibility. You have to keep up with regular maintenance of your roof, yard, appliances, and more, including your plumbing system.

For many, plumbing may be “out of sight, out of mind,” but small problems can grow into expensive repairs, or worse, major breakdowns. The best way you can protect your home – and save some money – is with regular plumbing inspections.

Why Plumbing Inspections Are Important

Home inspections for buying or selling a home usually check the obvious things, such as doors, windows, and flooring. They’re not in-depth enough to catch problems with your plumbing system or components, but issues with this system can wreak havoc on your home.

 

A plumbing inspection is a dedicated, comprehensive inspection of your plumbing system that evaluates all your drains, fittings, faucets, tubs, sinks, toilets, hos bibs, pipes, and supply lines, as well as your water heat. With a proper inspection, you can catch minor repairs and get them fixed before they cause problems like water damage.

Plumbing inspections should always be part of buying or selling a home, but they’re also important for your regular home maintenance. If you’re buying a home, especially an older one, a comprehensive plumbing inspection can catch any major problems you may run into with the existing system.

If you’re selling your home, having paperwork showing proper home maintenance and a recent plumbing inspection assures the buyer that you’ve taken steps to protect your home and that they won’t be stuck with a big repair bill.

Aside from buying and selling, regular plumbing inspections help you keep up with your plumbing system and avoid major emergencies, like a burst pipe or a sewer breakdown. Often, these types of expensive repairs can be avoided if you take action at the first sign of trouble.

Find Hidden Issues

One of the most common problems you’ll run into with your plumbing is leaks. Your plumbing lines run throughout your home, under floors, inside walls, and outside, creating numerous places where a poor fitting or crack can cause a dripping leak that creates water damage. If left untreated, this can lead to a lot of money, time, and stress in repairing walls and flooring.

 

Plumbing inspections include visual inspections of your system and its components, so you can find small issues and repair them before they become more expensive repairs.

Financial Savings

If you’ve dealt with a sewer collapse, burst water heater, or hidden water damage, you know how frustrating and expensive it can be to repair. These issues usually start small, such as a misaligned pipe or a slow drip inside a wall, but they’re hard to spot on your own.

A plumbing inspection looks for all these types of problems, giving you plenty of time to fix them without a big headache. You also have an opportunity to work with a plumber that you trust, rather than having to rely on whoever is available (at whatever price) during an emergency.

Who Can Do a Plumbing Inspection?

You may not give a lot of thought to your plumbing, but it’s essential to your household. If you want to keep it running its best, it’s important to have a professional plumber or licensed plumbing company perform your inspection.

Even if you know your way around basic plumbing, professionals have the tools and experience to identify problems and recommend the next steps.

What to Expect with a Plumbing Inspection

The way plumbing inspections are conducted may vary by the company, but they generally include an examination of your:

• Pipes, including outdoor, indoor, sewage, and supply lines
• Faucets and sinks
• Toilets
• Bathtubs and showers
• Water heaters

While checking these components, the plumber may look for:

• The main water shut-off valve
• Water filtration system, if you have one
• Leaks and cracks
• Proper drainage of the sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets
• Proper fitting and condition of drain, waste, and vent systems
• Fittings and connections that are in good condition
• Proper frost protection of outdoor fittings and faucets

How Often Should I Have a Plumbing Inspection?

If you’re selling your home, you should have a plumbing inspection before it hits the market. This gives you time to fix any issues and present a potential buyer with documentation of a recent inspection for peace of mind.

If you’re buying a home, you should have a plumbing inspection done before you sign any paperwork. Plumbing issues can be expensive to repair, so it’s best to know what you’re getting into before you make an offer.

Otherwise, it’s best to get an inspection every one to two years. Newer homes should be fine with annual plumbing inspections. If your home is older, you may want to have an inspection done each year, or more frequently, to ensure everything is in working order.

Take proper care of your plumbing system with help from Bell Brothers. Contact us today to schedule your plumbing inspection!