Checking the Plumbing System during Home Inspection
Although all systems and parts of a house are essential and therefore should all be examined thoroughly in home inspection, the plumbing system should receive some extra attention because it is one of the most often needed systems of the house.
We all drink water, clean our bodies with water, cook with water, and so on. So home inspection professionals should ensure that home buyers do not have problems with plumbing systems when they finally move in. While homeowners can endure waiting for other parts of the house to be repaired or restored, they cannot endure waiting for water systems to be restored.
Plumbing systems, just like other essential systems, should be working perfectly.
During professional home inspection, plumbing systems are examined and tested for their condition and their function. As advised by home inspection industry leaders, home inspectors do not typically turn on the main water valve before inspection. They let authorized persons turn on the water first. There could be legal problems that may arise if the inspector turns on the valve and a major flooding happens.
Inspection of the plumbing system usually begins in the kitchen. The inspector turns on the water to check the faucets, drains, sink, piping, waste leaks, water pressure, water volume and drainage.
The house inspector also runs the dishwasher to ensure that there are no leaks and that the hot water feature is working.
The next rooms to be checked are the bathrooms. The inspector tries to move the sinks, bath fixtures and toilets to see if they are solid and are correctly installed. Tubs, showers, diverter valves and flush mechanisms are checked. Presence of water around toilets and tubs and under sinks should be checked further.
The inspector should wait for some time to ensure that the water heater is working.
The next places to be inspected are crawlspaces, floors and the basement. The inspector looks for signs of defects such as leaks, stains and residues.
A good home inspection professional should be able to tell the client and write in the home inspection report if the plumbing system has corrosion, abandoned piping, unsupported piping and suspicious stains.
A home inspection that has been carried out well in all of the systems and parts of the house will help not only the prospective homebuyer or seller, but also help enhance the profession and career of the home inspector.
