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Buying a new home is a significant investment. You need to be careful about every aspect of the purchase, including the house’s condition. Pre-sale inspections are a standing rule for home buyers, but these checks usually focus on structural issues.
Plumbing inspections are most often overlooked in the process. But, you may experience issues like leakages and flooded basements soon after moving into the property. Timely inspection by a certified plumbing service can help avoid severe problems down the road.
The experts will cover all the bases and conduct a comprehensive check to keep you ahead of major costly repairs.
Here are the reasons for calling the plumbing pros to inspect a house before you sign on the dotted lines to buy it.
Necessary for Home Loan Approval
Many mortgage lenders require you to submit an appraisal report before they offer a home loan. The appraisal report will contain all details of the home, including its location, condition, and value compared to other houses in that area.
The lender is more likely to set up an appraisal process. Hence, you should call a plumbing service and ask them for a comprehensive plumbing inspection to avoid surprises when lenders conduct an evaluation.
Bargain for Better Price
The plumbing system of older homes has galvanized cast iron or clay pipes that get corroded and damaged over time. In older sewer lines, root invasion is a common problem that causes blockages in the plumbing system.
Problems in the older plumbing system cannot be fixed with traditional plumbing methods. In most cases, the plumbing expert needs to design and build a new system for the old house.
If the plumbing system is in bad condition, you can ask the owner to reduce the price as you will be required to spend large amounts to install a new plumbing system.
Essential for Homeowners Insurance
If the house is more than 25 years old and has not been inspected recently, you have to perform a comprehensive plumbing inspection. Many insurance companies require you to present an inspection report to qualify for a standard policy.
Toxic Materials in the Plumbing System
Houses built in the 1990s and before did not have an efficient plumbing system. The result is most older homes will have toxic materials trapped in the plumbing lines that could be detrimental to health. The types of piping in the old house could be an open invitation to common plumbing problems.
- Pipes made of polybutylene become brittle and crack when they interact with chemicals from public water treatment plants. If the old house you are planning to buy has these pipes, you are more likely to face leakages and other water damages soon. An expert plumber will recommend removing such pipes and building a new plumbing system to protect your house from water damage.
- Galvanized pipes have zinc coating that erodes with time. It causes rust to develop on the interior side of the pipes and leads to the building of calcium deposits that can create blockages. Most plumbers advise buyers in Rockwall, TX, to replace galvanized pipes with modern pipes that do not rust or create blockage conditions.
- Many older homes in the United States still have lead pipes installed. According to health experts, lead harms children’s health and can cause problems with development, hearing, learning, and behavior.
Since most old homes continue with the older plumbing system, you need to call a plumbing service and find out if the plumbing system is home to toxic materials.
Sewer Lines Deteriorate With Time
The sewer system also has a limited life span, after which several problems start surfacing. If the house is 25 years or older, its sewer system would be in bad shape. Older Sewer systems used a variety of pipes like:
- Transite Sewer Pipes
These sewer pipes were standard during the 1970s. Though these pipes have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, they are prone to leakages and failure at joints.
- Orangeburg Sewer Pipes
These pipes were used in periods between the 1850s and 1970s. Though the lifespan of these pipes is said to be around 50 years, they start to deform after 30 years.
- Lead Sewer Pipes
If the old house has lead sewer pipes, there are higher chances of lead leaching into the groundwater source and contaminating it.
There is a possibility the old house you are interested in buying has a sewer system made of pipes mentioned above. If that is true, you need to replace your sewer system sooner or later with the help of an experienced plumbing service.
Why Should You Call a Reputed Plumbing Company for an Inspection?
An experienced plumbing service would know what to look for when performing a complete inspection of an older house. Contacting an established plumbing company is the first step to learning the best solution for a particular situation. The plumbing service could advise which pipes can be repaired and which needs to be replaced to save on costs.
The professional will also identify potential problems that may arise after inspecting the plumbing system and may suggest steps that need to be taken to alleviate the plumbing and sewer line problems. The plumbing service will also provide you with an estimated cost of building a new system for the old house.
Call Your Local Plumbing Service for Complete Home Inspection!
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North East Dallas, Rockwall, TX has provided plumbing service to the city for several decades. We are proud of our trained and experienced plumbers who are adept at finding potential problems in plumbing systems through a detailed inspection.
Besides providing an accurate report mentioning the plumbing system, our professionals also suggest the best possible solution that can resolve plumbing issues at a minimal cost.
We are available 24×7 at your service. Give us a call, and we will send our experienced team of plumbers to conduct a plumbing inspection and fix any issues.
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