Plumbing is one of the most important systems of a house, so one of our jobs as a home inspectors is to put that system through its paces to make sure everything is working properly.
Plumbing problems might be obvious — an overflowing toilet — or hidden —a disconnected pipe in the crawl space. Those hidden problems that are happening behind the walls, under the house, or underground are the ones that can sneak up on you and turn out to be very costly by the time they’re discovered.
Plumbing Check
Here you can see the home inspector testing the plumbing inside the house and discovering a clogged drain.
Do you know where your HVAC condensate drain line is located? It’s usually under the sink in a secondary bathroom.
Crawl Space Leak
In this video, the home inspector finds cast iron pipes and a disconnected pipe causing a major leak.
Cast iron pipes aren’t “bad,” but they do have a life expectancy of about 25 years. Since they were more widely used prior to 1980, if you have cast iron pipes, there’s a good chance you will have to replace them.
Underground Leaks
Here, the home inspector shows some evidence that there’s been some damage underground.
Hidden plumbing problems can become expensive repairs over time. If something seems off — drains that constantly clog, pools of water in the yard, strangely high water bills, or unexplained damage to walls, flooring, or around the foundation — call a plumber for a checkup.
