April Showers Bring May Flowers… And Need Good Drainage!

Are you purchasing a new home or recently made the change? The market is crazy out there and folks are closing the deal without too much thought about what problems they might be inheriting – they just want a place to live! We can’t blame them, everyone needs a place to live. But let us tell you there are some instances where you need to pump the breaks! This time on the Economy Plumbing Services blog we’re talking about what to look for whenApril Showers Bring May Flowers… And Need Good Drainage! it comes to the plumbing in your potential new home!

What to Look For in Your Potential New Home’s Plumbing

Small Leaks

Be especially aware of any small leaks in the home. Even the smallest dribble can lead to a major headache (physically and financially) down the line. Leaks lead to cracks in walls, damaged wood and metal, no matter where they are. If the leak is in the kitchen or bathroom, that can suggest a larger, underlying problem that needs to be looked at.

Any leak, small or otherwise can lead to serious damages (and serious bills) if left unmanaged. Find out the source of the leak, determine the cause and fix it now while it’s still small.

What Are The Pipes Made Of? What’s Their Age? Structure?

Pipes. They are crucial, go figure, to inspect for a number of throughout the home can be made of a few different materials, and depending on what material you have and the location you’re in this can help you identify potential problems before they happen! An example! Copper piping is commonly used to supply hot water in the home, PVC for cold as well as drain systems. Cast iron piping is also typically used in waste systems. If you see any cast iron pipes you might want to just consider getting those replaced right away as cast iron can rust.

Now the structure… take a look at how the pipes and the plumbing system is designed in your home. Make note of the size of pipes and check that they are the right size and strength to support the amount of water that might be flowing through it. If it’s not, leaks can develop and bursting is possible.

Not sure if your pipes are the right materials and structure? Give us or your local plumber a call – we can take a look and offer our expert opinions! If there’s something wrong we’ll give you the solutions you need!

What’s the Story, Plumbing Glory?

Ok, thats a weird way to phrase it – we mean what’s the history of the plumbing in the home? Is it original? How many years ago was it installed? Older homes are much more likely to have old galvanized steel pipes which is no good for modern plumbing. Galvanized pipes are prone to corrosion and build-up. Before you purchase the property know the age of these pipes and whether or not getting them replaced (sooner rather than later!) Not sure what galvanized steel pipes look like? Take a refrigerator magnet with you and try and stick it to the pipes. If it sticks? Hey, that’s steel!

Follow Your Nose

Check for any smells or bad odors coming from the plumbing system. Anything that smells off is a sure sign that the pipes are damaged somewhere and repairs are needed. Really get in close and smell, a fresh coat of paint or other work done on a home to get it ready for sale might mask the scent more than you realize.

Plumbing troubles are a headache at the best of times, and an absolute nightmare at the worst. Finding them ahead of time and getting them fixed (or just avoiding the potential entirely and looking at a different home) is going to save you costly repairs, damages, and sleepless nights of fixing. Call your friendly local plumber (Tucson you know who to call) to get things sorted before your move-in date.

If Water Goes Through It Or To It, We Do It!

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