Home Plumbing Inspection

Things You Should Expect during a Home Plumbing Inspection

Your household is a complex machine that consists of many systems working in harmony to provide you with a comfortable, convenient lifestyle. Much like the human body, when one system isn’t functioning optimally, the other components can sometimes suffer. That’s why it’s important that homeowners regularly get inspections of the primary systems in their homes, such as the plumbing, electrical, and roofing, to head off potential problems.

A home inspection can examine the entirety of your house, or it can focus on specific systems that you may want examined. Home inspections in Philadelphia, PA, can provide homeowners with critical information about the function of the systems upon which they rely and forecast potential problems and repairs that are upcoming. In that way, accurate home inspections can help save you money by preventing catastrophic failures in the future. Because of the rigorous nature of home inspections, particularly those for plumbing, some homeowners have no idea what to expect. Keep reading to learn what you can expect from a professional home plumbing inspection.

Selecting a Plumbing Inspector

If you want the best data and honest results from your plumbing inspection, it’s important to find a qualified, reputable inspector to give your home a thorough analysis. That means that you’ll need to mine recommendations from friends, read plenty of reviews, and contact your local Better Business Bureau to find qualified candidates. Once you do, you can hire the inspector and prepare for the inspector’s visit.

Preparation

While you want your plumbing inspector to get an accurate representation of the state of your plumbing system, you don’t want the task to be overly cumbersome or difficult. If you have anything obstructing your plumbing fixtures, for example, you should move those obstacles so that the inspector can easily and swiftly inspect the plumbing and move on. Also, you may want to have receipts handy for any recent plumbing work that has been performed on your system. That can help your inspector understand the nature of your system and how well it’s been maintained.

Arrival of InspectorInspecting electric boiler

When your inspector arrives at your home, take a moment to greet him or her and illustrate the highpoints of your plumbing system. For example, show the inspector where the bathrooms are and point out any outside spigots or water sources that will need review. By doing so, you can expedite the process and make sure that no component of your household plumbing is neglected or left out of the inspection process.

During the Inspection

Once you’ve provided the information to the inspector, you can feel free to accompany him or her through the inspection. That way, you’ll have a chance to ask questions, and some inspectors will give you feedback on how to correct problems or meet code so that you can expedite remediation. During the inspection, there are many facets of your plumbing that will be checked. They include tasks such as examining fixtures drains and supply lines as well as checking filters and appliance connections for signs of leakage. Other points of inspection include shut-off valves, clean-outs, traps, sinks, toilets, tubs, water heater, and venting systems. Also, some inspectors will even use a submersible camera that can be snaked through the drains to make sure there are no blockages, areas of root infiltration, or collapsed spots in the subterranean line.

Afterwards

Your inspector should provide you with some feedback immediately after the inspection so that you can start making amendments and upgrades. However, a more detailed list of findings should be forthcoming in a few days. The report should include not only the findings that stemmed from the inspection, but also any recommended actions the homeowner should take to repair the plumbing system or bring it up to code.

A home plumbing inspection can be enlightening and beneficial when it comes to heading off plumbing problems before they occur. To learn more about what to expect during a home plumbing inspection, contact Eagle Inspections at (267) 538-2292.