Plumbing Tips for New Homeowners

Plumbing Tips

Whether it’s going to be your first home or your seventh, purchasing a new house is an exciting opportunity for you and your family. As one of the biggest investments you’ll make in life, it can also be an overwhelming experience. Too often, when our plumbers answer calls they learn that homeowners didn’t know about pre-existing issues before they bought the house. What should have been caught before they settled on a mortgage got swept up in the excitement of a new home, only to be revealed when their belongings were still packed away in little brown boxes.

Comprehensive Inspection

It’s important that a comprehensive inspection is completed on the entire house, including its plumbing and drainage system. This assessment should be carried out by a professional that you know to be trustworthy, competent, and methodical in their approach. Don’t entrust the physical check-up of your potential new home to the first or cheapest inspector that you find. That’s a recipe for disaster, as their low bill is a direct reflection of their skill and experience. Ask your real estate agent for a few referrals, and interview the candidates until you find one you and your family feel good about trusting.

Once an inspector has been chosen, it’s important that you co-ordinate a time and date that works for both of your schedules. It’s imperative that you accompany them during their appraisal of your home, so there are no surprises when it comes to issues with the house. You’ll also understand the extent of any problems that they find, as you’ll be able to ask pertinent questions that could reveal the severity of the defect and influence the priority of your repairs.

While touring the home with your inspector, it’s a good rule of thumb that you perform your own checks. Inspect any exposed pipes under sinks and in the basement for leaks. Moisture around pipes and fixtures is a direct give-away that there’s a leak; however, the presence of mould, mildew, and cracks around pipes is also an indication of faulty plumbing. You should also check to see if all of the toilets and sinks operate as they should. Run taps to see if the kitchen, laundry, and washroom sinks and tubs drain properly without delay or unusual sounds. Flush toilets to see if the bowl releases and fills in an appropriate amount of time.

Detailed Assessment

By carrying out a detailed assessment of the house, you can draft a mortgage with a full understanding of what awaits you in your new home. Unfortunately, sometimes even the best inspector can’t always predict future problems. External factors affecting the main sewer line can cause a surprise flood in an otherwise healthy home. Careless maintenance of your sinks and tubs can put strain on your systems and create problems down the line.

As a new homeowner, the last thing you want to do is struggle with plumbing problems. If you notice something isn’t right with your home, call us right away. Whether it’s for a middle-of-the-night emergency or it’s just for general repairs, we’ll arrive at your door ready to complete quick, reliable, and reasonable repairs. Just give us a call and we’ll be there!