If you are looking to sell your home and need a plumbing inspection, it’s important that you know how the inspector will inspect. This article shows what types of questions they’ll ask and where to find answers for them.
Who Can Perform Plumbing Inspections?
Plumbing inspections can be performed by just about anyone. You don’t need to be a professional plumber or have any special training. However, it is always best to hire a professional to perform the inspection just to be sure everything is done properly. However, if you want to perform an inspection on your own home, you can do it just by learning some easy steps. You just need the right approach and tools and you can be successful at it. However, if you want to become certified in plumbing inspections, you need to study and pass an exam issued by a qualified organization.
When Is A Plumbing Inspection Required?
When it comes to purchasing or selling a property, most people prioritize practicality and beauty. While they are crucial, they might frequently imply that “what lies beneath”—namely, the plumbing—gets overlooked.
If you are buying a home, the home inspector will likely include a plumbing inspection as part of their overall inspection. If you are selling your home, you will need to have a plumbing inspection done by a certified professional.
Many buyers and sellers are unaware, however, that house inspectors normally complete just four tasks when examining the plumbing for real estate purposes: checking to verify whether water flowing from the taps, drains empty, toilets flush, and there are no obvious leaks around pipes and fixtures. That’s because most inspectors lack the technical understanding needed to tell purchasers if the property’s plumbing is up to code or whether sewage gas is seeping back into the house.
That’s why today’s astute purchasers have a professional plumbing assessment conducted prior to closing the sale to guarantee they’re not purchasing a house that will need pricey plumbing repairs. Most transactions are reliant on a plumbing inspection report because if a house fails to pass, the buyer will likely seek to negotiate a discount to pay any unforeseen expenditures or even walk out of the purchase.
As a result, it’s critical for sellers to understand what it takes to pass a plumbing inspection, as well as for buyers to understand what to look for.
A plumbing inspection document outlines the requirements for passing a plumbing inspection. The document can be found on the website of the state’s building department. You can also view one on this site here: Household Plumbing Inspection Checklist.
Plumbing Inspection by a Professional
Professional plumbing services, unlike a home inspector, get down to the nitty-gritty details. So, what are the things that plumbing inspectors check for? Here are some of the most important things they’ll be looking for:
- Drains, supply lines, and plumbing fittings.
- Toilets, sinks, showers, and bathtubs.
- Under the sinks in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room, there are Valves that allow you to turn off the water are known as shut-off valves. and traps.
- Drainage and venting systems in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room.
- Water heaters with storage tanks or tankless water heaters.
- Filtration systems for water
- Valves that allow you to turn off the water are known as shut-off valves.
- Sump pumps
A good plumbing firm will also check underground sanitary drains and sewage lines using a plumbing video camera. They’ll search for fractures and misalignments, tree root development in pipes, and obstructions that might lead to drain blockage or even collapse in the future. For homes built before the 1980s, they will also check to be sure Orangeburg piping wasn’t used, as it has now reached the end of its lifespan and will need to be replaced.
Passing a Plumbing Inspection
While not all plumbing problems can be easily staved off prior to a plumbing inspection, there are some simple proactive steps sellers can take to improve their chances of passing a plumbing inspection by a professional. Here are the places where you should focus your plumbing inspection checklist before the professionals come out for a look.
Bathroom
In most houses, bathrooms get a lot of activity, so it’s no surprise that here is where many plumbing issues arise.
- Faucets. To stop leaking faucets, check the sink, bathtub, and shower faucets for leaks on a regular basis and replace defective washers or cartridges. Also, keep an eye out for low water pressure or a sporadic spray, both of which might indicate a calcium buildup on the aerator. Aerators may be physically removed and cleaned, or they can be soaked in vinegar to break up the buildup.
- Drains. Small soap and hair clogs may grow into full-blown drain blockages over time; to avoid this, dismantle drain traps and remove debris on a regular basis. To clean lines, you may use a drain snake or a high-pressure water jet.
- Toilets. To begin, remove the toilet’s tank lid and examine what occurs after you flush; does the toilet continue to run after the flush cycle has completed? This wastes a lot of water and might be caused by a malfunctioning flapper or floater, which is easily repaired. Also, if your toilet shakes slightly when you sit on it or if water is leaking around the base, the wax ring that seals the toilet base to the drain hole may need to be replaced.
- Caulking. Water from a bathtub or shower may leak behind walls and beneath floors due to faulty caulking, causing significant water damage. Check all caulking on a regular basis and fill any gaps with new caulk.
Kitchen
The kitchen, which is also full with plumbing equipment, is another place to focus on before the plumbing inspection.
- Sinks. Because kitchen sinks take a lot of damage, you should clear the drain using a mild homemade drain cleaner on a regular basis to keep things moving. As the water in the sink drains away, check the sink strainer and P-trap for leaks on a regular basis. If you discover leaks or rust, the stainer should be changed, and the P-trap fittings may need to be tightened. To clear a clog in a kitchen sink that is draining too slowly, you may need to disassemble the P-trap or branch drain.
- Faucets. A dripping kitchen faucet is more than an annoyance; it may waste hundreds of gallons of water annually. Keep a close eye on your faucet and make any required repairs.
- Shutoff valves are a kind of valve that allows you to turn off a Fixture shutdown valves regulate the flow of water to faucets, dishwashers, and refrigerators. Close the valves firmly and make sure they fully shut off the water on a regular basis. They should be replaced if they aren’t.
- Garbage disposal is a term used to describe a device that is used to dispose The drain connections where a dishwasher output links to the disposal, or where the disposal discharge flows to the sink drain, are often where problems with trash disposals are detected. If you’re experiencing trouble, tighten the connections at these spots or replace the gaskets if they’re leaking.
- Dishwashers. The most frequent issue with dishwashers is water that won’t drain after the cycle has finished. Check for obstructions or pinching in the water discharge hose to solve the problem.
- Refrigerators. Filters should be replaced at least twice a year if your refrigerator includes a water dispenser and icemaker, and not simply to keep water taste fresh; a clogged filter might stop water flow to the dispenser or ice maker. Check for indications of wear on the water supply hose and replace it if required.
Septic and Sewer Systems
The easiest method to avoid stoppages in the main sewage line or septic system, which may be expensive and dangerous, is to examine and maintain it on a regular basis.
- Drain fields are used in septic systems. These are most widespread in rural regions and must be pumped out when they reach capacity. Make sure everyone in the house understands what they shouldn’t throw down the drain, and stay away from bleach-based cleansers, which may disrupt the biological decomposition of waste, which is necessary for a septic system to function. If you detect any bad smells or standing water, it’s a clear symptom of seepage that has to be treated by a professional to prevent future problems.
- Sewage mains If your house is supplied by a public sewage line, you may test its efficiency by filling and draining all sinks and bathtubs at the same time. There may be a blockage that has to be snaked if a floor drain backs up or if all drains take a long time to empty.
- Pipes for venting. Vent pipes, which usually emerge through the roof, equalize air pressure and enable sewage gases to escape. They might get clogged with detritus over time, reducing their efficiency. Check for any obstructions in the vent pipes on a regular basis.
Miscellaneous
We look at a few more areas that should be on your radar in this catch-all category of your plumbing inspection checklist.
- Heaters for water. Check the cold water intake pipe and the hot water exit pipe above the water heater for evidence of water leaking. You should also inspect the water heater’s base to ensure that no leakage is occurring due to a defective temperature and pressure relief valve. Keep an eye out for any symptoms of corrosion, which may need a replacement or result in catastrophic damage.
- Sump pumps are a type of sump pump. Sump pumps are an under-floor drainage system found in basements that should be examined for good functioning on a regular basis. Fill the sump pit with water manually and make sure the pump turns on to empty it.
- Sprinklers and spigots outdoor hose spigots, which are often disregarded, may develop leaks that can typically be remedied by changing washers or cartridges. Check lawn sprinkler systems to make sure all spray heads are working correctly while you’re at it. Even when the irrigation system is turned off, a line fracture or loose connection might enable water to escape, but detecting these leaks can be difficult; to discover them, look for particularly wet spots or portions of grass that are lusher than the rest of the lawn.
- Machines for washing clothes. Rubber hoses that are bulging out have reached the end of their useful life and must be replaced to prevent a rupture and expensive water damage. Check the valves that regulate the hot and cold water hoses as well; if they don’t fully stop the flow of water when cut off, they should be replaced.
If you’re selling a home, you probably know it can be a lengthy process and you don’t want to derail a potential deal due to plumbing issues that could have been taken care of in advance, or avoided altogether through proper maintenance. And if you’re buying a home, you want to be sure to get a plumbing inspection by a professional so that you’re not facing unforeseen expenses and damage down the road. This plumbing inspection checklist serves to give both buyers and sellers an idea of what to look for, and what a professional plumber will look for during an inspection.
The residential plumbing inspection process that must be completed by plumbers before they are allowed to work on residential properties. The process includes a visual inspection of the property, and checking for proper water pressure and drainage. You can learn more about the importance of a plumbing inspection and its benefits here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a plumbing rough-in?
A: A rough-in is the first installation step in a plumbing project. Step one involves creating an outlet for the water and drainage system to follow, before proceeding with installing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, and showers.
How do you test rough-in plumbing?
A: You should run the hot water to make sure it gets turned off. If everything is fine, you can move on to the next step.
What is a bowl test in plumbing?
A: A bowl test is a process of checking the water flow in a pipe by lowering it into an open circular basin shaped like a cup.
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