Inspection Of Plumbing And Pipes
It is advisable to have the home you wish to buy inspected by a professional. Inspection of plumbing and pipes requires inspection by a thorough professional, and the cost of such an inspection can pay itself off many times over. Overlooking such inspections by inspectors trained to do such specific jobs may lead to a nightmare of problems later, including spending thousands of dollars in repairs and replacements. Consider all home inspections as investment and not unnecessary expenditure.
During home inspection of the plumbing system prior to buying, your inspector will check the flow of water throughout the home by running the faucets, showers, tubs, and sinks. Their inspection responsibilities include checking the type of pipes installed in the house, right from where it enters the home and distributes throughout the house. Inspections will include looking for leaks and drips, and checking whether the plumbing fixtures are in a good condition, or not.
Type Of Pipes
This is one of the most important facets to inspection of plumbing and pipes when buying a home. Homes have various types of pipes distributing water in them, such as copper pipes, galvanized pipes and polybutylene plumbing.
Copper is considered the most reliable for use as a plumbing material. It is long lasting too. It is the most preferred material for plumbing and pipes. It is relatively soft and has a golden color. Galvanized steel is hard and has a silver gray color. It is mostly found in old homes, historically in homes built prior to the 1950s. Such pipes have a life of around 40 to 50 years, and if you find them in the home you are presently having inspected, they have probably reached the end of their lives, and there is every chance of leak and flooding due to pipe burst.
Galvanized pipes rust and corrode, from inside the pipe outwards and often restrict the flow of water and reduce the pressure in the pipes. Many insurance companies are leery of providing homeowner’s insurance if there is such plumbing.
Polybutylene plumbing, which was popularly installed from the 1970s to the 1990s, is known to fail within 10 to 15 years due to corrosion. It is no longer being used since 1995, and if the home you are considering has such plumbing, it is your call whether to accept it or not.
Replacing Plumbing And Pipes
Replacing distribution pipes is not inexpensive, and you need to take up the matter with the seller if you find the plumbing to be of galvanized steel or polybutylene.
The seller, of course, in most cases would be unwilling to foot the bill for replacement of the complete plumbing, but he may have no choice if he wishes to sell the house. The total replacement cost could vary from anything between $3,000 to $6,000 or even more, depending on how extensive the distribution system is.
To detect such plumbing defects in the home, you need to have the services of thorough professionals, as normal home inspection may not be able to expose such plumbing.
|