Common Plumbing Repairs To Make When Selling Your Home

Are you planning on selling your home? If so, you might be stressing out over potential plumbing problems that a home inspector could find. Thankfully, at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric we understand that selling a house is difficult, which is why we’ve put together the following list of easy plumbing repair jobs that you can have done before a home inspector comes to analyze your plumbing.

First, Why Do I Need a Home Inspection?

For buyers, purchasing a house is one of the biggest investments they will make. Most buyers want to know that their investment is safe to inhabit and in proper working order, which is why a home inspection is so important. According to the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), a home inspection is “an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation.” But a home inspection is much more than just a physical examination of a house – it is also an assurance that everything works properly.

Although home inspections aren’t like exams that your home can pass or fail, it is important that you have a positive result. After appraising your house, a home inspector will write out a detailed report of your current plumbing fixtures and outline whether or not a new buyer will have to spend extra money to fix plumbing issues. A plumbing inspection can be just what you need to secure a sale.

What Do Home Inspectors Look For?

Home inspectors assess general internal and external plumbing fixtures, and then write up a report describing what they find. According to ASHI, home inspectors are not required to test things such as water quality or water pressure.

What Plumbing Repairs Should I Make?

Although it is recommended that you regularly maintain your home’s plumbing, at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric we understand that sometimes this just isn’t an option. If you are trying to sell your home, we recommend checking the following list to ensure that you do well on your home inspection.

• Undetected Leaks

  Checking your home for plumbing leaks is high up on the list of to-dos before a home inspection. Leaks can go undetected for long periods of time because most homeowners only know that they have a leak when it becomes a big problem. Small leaks can cause serious damage over time, particularly to floorboards and drywall. They can also result in the growth of mold and mildew, which can be a serious health hazard. Some home inspectors use thermal imaging to discover hidden leaks. By searching for tiny signs of moisture use a thermal camera, these home inspectors can find even the smallest leaks hidden behind walls and under floorboards.

• Dripping Faucets and Leaking Toilets

  Dripping faucets and leaking toilets are usually very easy to fix. You might not be bothered by the occasional splash of water, but home inspectors are tasked with inspecting all interior water supply and distribution systems, which includes your old, leaky faucets and toilets. Don’t lose points on your home inspection by ignoring an easily solvable problem.

• Clogged and Blocked Drains

  Clogged toilets, blocked shower drains and overflowing bathtubs are frustrating plumbing issues that make your home plumbing system look unnecessarily bad. Although blocked pipes can have serious negative consequences, it is possible to DIY a solution in some scenarios. However, we recommend hiring a professional plumber to assess and correct the problem.

• Exterior Plumbing Issues

  Home inspectors analyze the plumbing inside your house as well as the plumbing in your garden and outside your property. This includes pipes that transport city water into your house, as well as grey or black water (sewage) removal pipes. A home inspector will also check your water meter to see if it is functioning properly – you might not even have known that you were spending too much on your water bill!

Always remember that, at the end of the day, maintenance is better than repair. Rather than panicking over a home inspection when you decide to sell your house, contact our licensed professionals to schedule a plumbing check-up.