Problem Spots on Plumbing and Pipes

While you are inspecting the home you are intending to buy, you must consider various components and issues involving plumbing and pipes. The following key considerations will certainly help you evaluate the plumbing system and its efficacy.



Water Supply and Waste Water System

These are the two separate subsystems of a plumbing system. Following are some of the symptoms of problems with them.

Water Supply

Water pressure must be adequate. Low water pressure can affect the operation of automatic clothes and dish washers.

Waste Water System

Slow drains and leaky drains are some of the common problems of waste water system. You must check in vanities and under kitchen sinks for signs of water damage. When traps corrode or compression joints become loose, it may cause leaks. The damage caused by such leaks may lead to costly repairs.



Identifying common defects

Following is the list of most common defects that you might find during your plumbing inspection.

• Leaks at fixtures or in supply lines
• Improper venting, improper slopes, improper toilet valves, and improperly supported pipes.
• Make sure that the pipelines are not too close to windows or ventilators.
• See if the piping and traps are deteriorated.
• If galvanized pipes are used, check how old they are. Also, look for rust wart and restricted flow.
• If Polybutylene pipes are used, look for leaks and crimped joints.
• Check if water is too hot.
• If you find residual chlorine in well water, it may indicate ongoing bacteria problem.

Potential Problems with Different Types of Water Supply Lines

You must inspect each kind of water supply piping in order to identify the potential problems associated with them.

Copper Piping

This is one of the most common types of water supply piping. Copper is normally a very dependable material, but not completely trouble free. The major problem though is caused due to the acidic water. Acidic water results in corrosion of copper pipes. This results in thinning and wearing down of the pipe. The failures due to such problems appear as small, circular green patina stains. If you ignore these stains, water may spray through the hole in the center of the round stain. Again, in copper piping, if water flow is stopped abruptly, it makes banging noises.

Galvanized steel piping

You must check if the water supply piping use galvanized steel pipes. Though it is not used in modern construction, yet if the supply piping from the municipal water lines is galvanized steel, chances are great that the service piping is also galvanized steel. The major problem with this type of piping is that it oxidizes from the inside out, and the rust, thus produced, reduces the interior diameter of the pipe. This restricts the flow of water, and results in first leaks at threaded joints where the pipes are joined. Drinking water supplied through such pipes hardens the human arteries. Moreover, piping made from galvanized steel develops problems sooner. This is more frequent in the case of fixtures that undergo a heavy usage. Some examples of such fixtures are kitchen sink and the main bathrooms.

Polybutylene piping

Polybutylene are normally defected at the junctions. The epoxy joint is vulnerable to chlorine in the water that causes deterioration.

Plumbing inspection is an important factor if you want to avoid heavy repair costs and inconvenience when you shift into your newly bought house.