The Importance of a Plumbing Inspection for MN Home Buyers
You’re almost there. You’ve found the house you’ve been dreaming of and are ready to make an offer. You’re so excited you almost forgot about looking into the finer details of the property. As you may know, there could be a glaring problem right underneath the surface.
A home’s plumbing system is one, if not the most important system to run through your house. You don’t ever see it, but your plumbing system handles all the water and sewage going in and out of your home.
Since the mid-1800s, plumbing systems have kept us hydrated and sanitary, saving countless lives from disease. Like all systems, however, it’s only a matter of time before the plumbing in homes reaches the end of this life cycle.
Whether you’re buying a new home or an old home, getting a plumbing inspection is imperative to avoid any future headaches. In this blog, you’ll learn more about why plumbing inspections are necessary and what you can expect from the process.
Three Reasons Plumbing Inspections Matter
All types of home inspections help you learn necessary information, and this definitely applies to plumbing inspections. A plumbing inspection is very important if you’re a potential buyer, and sellers can also benefit from this process. Here are three reasons why plumbing inspections are so important.
1. Early Damage Detection
Getting your plumbing system inspected helps you catch any potential damages that may occur down the road.
Repairing a problem in your plumbing system before it breaks will be more affordable, since cleanup and damage may cost you a significant amount on top of the repair.
2. Potentially Better Price on the Property
If you get the plumbing system inspected in your potential new home and find any problems before you buy, you can rightfully negotiate the price of the home down due to future maintenance.
Additionally, you can request the current homeowner to repair the plumbing system before you agree on a purchase price.
The asking price doesn’t accurately reflect the potential problems that lay within the home. Getting the property inspected, especially your plumbing, will get a price that’s fair for you.
3. Save Money on Water Bills
Leaking pipes not only cause water damage inside your home, but also lead to an overall higher water bill. And when it comes to moving, unexpected payments can add up. The last thing you need when moving into your new home is a surprisingly high utility bill.
Getting your plumbing system inspected ensures it’s not wasting any resources in your house and the money in your pocket.
What to Expect During the Plumbing Inspection Process
Now that you know more about the importance and advantages of a plumbing inspection, let’s go deeper into the process of the home inspection and how you can prepare.
Frequency of Inspection
If you want to avoid any major and unexpected plumbing damage, it’s best to inspect your plumbing at least once per year. A yearly plumbing inspection will ensure the pipes running through your house are up to date and intact.
An annual inspection will also catch any minor problems with your plumbing before it becomes serious.
What’s Inspected
Whether you inspect plumbing on an old home or ensure the plumbing in your new home is installed correctly, multiple points of inspection will need to be performed.
A certified professional will inspect components of your plumbing, such as sinks, toilets, tubs, pipes, and lines. The water levels of your toilets and the mechanisms that help them run will be inspected.
Additionally, your water heater will get an inspection as it is responsible for creating warm water for your home. Inspecting your water heater will include a temperature check and pressure relief before flushing.
The pipes will be the main part of your plumbing inspection, as the inspector will check for any leaks or cracks that can cause a major problem down the road.
What to Do for the Best Inspection Results
No news is good news. The same can be said for any home inspection! If you want the best results for your next plumbing inspection, the name of the game is preparation and prevention.
Checking your pipes monthly for cracks and leaks and contacting a plumber right away will make your next plumbing inspection less anxiety-inducing.
Living in the Twin Cities, you know cold weather can do a significant amount of damage to your home. Pipes that are not properly maintained in the winter can cause a whole world of trouble. Pipes can freeze and burst, causing costly and untimely repairs. The best way to prevent frozen pipes is by insulating your exterior pipes so they don’t freeze up in the winter!
What if Your Home Doesn’t Pass the Plumbing Inspection?
While no one wants to have issues show up on their plumbing inspection or any home inspection, you may not get the results on the report you hoped for or expected. If the home receives a poor grade from the inspection, it’s not necessarily disastrous. In fact, buyers can often negotiate, and sellers can still end up selling the home as they wanted.
You have a few options. If you're the buyer, issues are often a chance to negotiate the price. As a seller, you are also a part of this process.
Or course, if the issues are severe, the sale may end up not going through. While this is a worst-case scenario, it’s still better to know the truth of the situation. Learn more about what happens if your house doesn’t pass a home inspection in the linked blog.
Contact DMC Home Inspection
Whether it’s the roof or foundation, plumbing or electric, a home inspection is key in giving the buyer and seller a fair and safe transaction.
With such importance on a home inspection, rely on the most trusted Twin Cities in DMC Home Inspection! Our 150 points of thorough inspection will detect any and every problem with a home.
Schedule your inspection online or give us a call at 612-310-1692 today!