Plumbing Inspection

How do you check if your home is due for a plumbing inspection?

The chance to keep your house prepared for the merciless summer heat comes every new year. Though it’s normal to address immediate plumbing issues (such as a clogged toilet) during a home inspection it is important to look out for milder signs showing that home maintenance measures and a proper plumbing inspection is needed. Here are a few residential plumbing inspection tips to help you identify what signs to look for in order to avoid catastrophes and to keep your house in good condition:

Decreased Water Levels

Are there noticeable decreases in your toilet’s water levels or does it vary from time to time, rising and falling throughout the day? If the answer is yes, then a plumbing inspection is needed. A larger underlying plumbing issue could very well be causing constantly fluctuating water levels inside our home.

Sluggish Drains

If it takes a noticeably long time for your sink or shower to drain (as in longer than a simple hair clog would normally cause) then somewhere within your plumbing system could early stages of potential failure or back up that’s slowly building. It would be wise to schedule a drain cleaning as soon as possible even if you’ve only observed this instance once or twice.

Moldy Odor or Wall Discoloration

Walls that begin to have a sullied appearance and give off a moldy odor could be signs of a pipe leak. If left unattended, this sort of leak could gradually turn into a serious internal damage to your home that can end up in very costly repairs.

Weak Water Pressure

A gradually decreasing water pressure can be an indication that your home is having a plumbing issue. This can be a sign of a pipe leak, clog build up or a more serious issue. Whether this is present in your entire water system of just one faucet, it is recommended to have a professional inspect the cause of the decrease in your water pressure.

Expensive Water Bill

Another sign that your home could be having an underlying plumbing issue is the sudden increase in your water bill. This can mean that your drainage system is having problems or more water is being wasted by leaky pipe. If you can’t recall a single reason why your water bill suddenly becomes high contact your water provider first. Then be sure to contact a professional plumbing company for an appropriate inspection.

Why do I need it?

Whether it’s a small item like a toaster or a large machine like your car, almost any item we use on a daily basis requires some form of maintenance, and that applies to your plumbing system even more. Having a plumbing inspection done at least once a year is vital if you wish to avoid problems with your plumbing system or lessen the chances of unforeseen issues needing emergency repair at least.

Due to negligence, many of the most common plumbing issues remain hidden until they become serious enough to get noticed. What many people fail to realize is that plumbers should be there to help you maintain a well functioning plumbing system instead of just being called upon only for emergencies. Noticing any of the situations below is good time to call your plumber:

Deteriorating performance from your faucet
Sudden spike in you water bill
Hot water supply that only lasts for a short time

Imagine arriving from work to find a flooded basement or your shower head stopped sprinkling water in the middle of a bath, surely you will have wanted to prevent those instances from happening right? A consistent inspection schedule will tell you of impending problems before they happen so they can be fixed.

What’s included in a plumbing home inspection?

Each part of your plumbing system should be thoroughly examined during a home plumbing inspection. Your plumber should check the following parts:

Pipes
Sinks
Toilets
Hose bibs
Bathtubs and showers
Supply lines
Garbage disposal lines and machine
Dish washing unit
Water heating system
Washing machine lines and hoses
Roof gutter

Your water heater will be examined for its age and whether or not it is in good condition. Oftentimes, water heaters can last up to 10 years but most people are not aware of this, especially those that are buying a home. Plumbers on the other hand know what considerations need to be accounted for like how long it will last, how efficient the water heater is for its age. It can be costly to maintain an inefficient water heater and should not be expected to work well on a long term. An experienced plumber will identify this and give you proper advice on how to address the issue.

Basically, the process should investigate anything that touches or drains water. Your plumbing specialist should check for drainage issues, drips, corrosion, leakage, dirt build up or any other problems on each element of your plumbing system.

What to do after a plumbing inspection

After the inspection is finished, the plumber will provide a report on what issues were fixed up front such as leaks and if there are any parts of your water system that need updating such as your water heater that might already be old. Talk with your plumber on how urgent these parts need to be replaced, the cost of having them fixed and any other recommendation they can provide to keep your plumbing system running smoothly. Plumbers like being able to use their expertise so don’t be afraid to ask them questions related to plumbing issues.

In case major problems were discovered or any major upgrades need to be made after the inspection, be sure to set a schedule for when your plumber can come back and continue the repairs. This is important when custom parts need to be ordered prior to doing any upgrades and give you enough time to set aside the budget to have the work done. Knowing if it will take weeks or months to have the problem fixed is important to homeowners.

How much does a plumbing inspection cost?

One of the most important questions that every consumer asks is how much a certain service will set them back. So how much will hiring a plumber cost?

Well for starters, plumber will typically charge you just for visiting your home, which is called a call-out fee. Upon arrival up until the job is finished, they will likely charge you by the hour.

Call-out fees can range from $60 to $100 while hourly rates can scale from $100-$150 based on your plumber’s quote. The fees can also be affected by your location, like how far you are from their base of operations, and may vary according to their level of competency such as a Master Plumber who may bill you rates above that of a regular one. Some of them, however, may also have fixed rates for specific services like installing dishwashers, draining clogged pipes or setting up water heating systems.

In the event that your plumbing problems occur beyond normal business hours, some plumbing companies may offer 24 hours emergency service. Due to the effort it takes to work late at night or the wee hours of the morning, you should expect that plumbers will charge higher than their normal hourly rate on top of their call-out fees in these cases.

Upon considering where you live, prices for plumbing services can be anywhere between:

$70 – $150 for a dripping tap or leaking toilet fix
$170 – $560 for new toilet, bath, sink or basin installation
$90 – $260 for new basin or bath tap fitting and shower head replacement
$1300 – $4600 for replacement service of hot water systems
$3600 – $12500 based on the size and difficulty of replacing solar powered hot water systems.
$5500 – $21000 for complete drainage system overhaul
$6500 – $12500 based on the features required and intricacy of re-plumbing your whole house

Keep in mind that work such as painting, tiling or rendering after the completion of a plumbing job will be considered a separate expense so be sure to set aside an additional budget for these in case you decide to have them done.

How often should my plumbing be inspected?

To make sure your water system is running smoothly and is good condition, it is recommended to have your plumbing inspected regularly. Expensive renovations and major mishaps can arise from neglecting your water system so being observant of any plumbing issues along with taking initiative when they happen can help curb any possible disasters or costly repairs in the future.

Having your home plumbing system checked at least once every two years is the recommendation of most professional plumbers. However, it should be done more often for the situations below:

When residing in an old home – One issue faced by older houses built in the 1960’s are steel pipes used in plumbing systems. During those times, builders normally choose steel for its strength yet they did not foresee that it deteriorates over time. This can eventually cause lead contamination in your water supply along with sudden leaks or bursts.
Mature trees within your property – Enormous trees growing within a property for many years can produce an underground network of roots that is not always visible to anyone. These roots are strong enough to cause damage when they push through sub level pipes which can take years before homeowners can notice whereas a plumber will know precisely what signs to look out for.
Moving into a new residence – When you’ve just recently bought a house it is highly advisable to schedule a complete inspection of your plumbing systems instead of just relying on a home inspector. Plumbers can identify small details about your plumbing that can be easily missed and cause issues in the future.

Make sure that you select a plumber that has the experience to support their promises when selecting one to observe your plumbing. A certified plumbing company that’s familiar with all the equipment and methods needed to provide excellent results is the one you want.

Aside from checking if your establishment or home is up to code and composed of quality materials, they’ll be able to spot possible problems in your water system. Some people will unknowingly incur code violations when trying to save money on repairs by attempting to do it themselves or look for a temporary solution. This can be prevented through a detailed inspection to uncover potential problems and have them properly fixed especially before purchasing a property from people who may have committed this.

When an inspection is due for your home or property, trust only McMurray Plumbing. Our expertise and know-how about commercial and residential plumbing have stood the test of time. You can reach us at 0404 400 200.