A First-time Home Buyer’s Guide to Plumbing: Things You Should Know

It is exciting to be a first-time home buyer, but with all the excitement there is a temptation to rush into things that you may regret later, especially if you are purchasing an existing home. For example, there may be some problems that the previous owner failed to mention before you moved in.

One of the most common problems first-time home buyers encounter is plumbing problems. Plumbing is one of the most important aspects of a house and understanding the functioning of your home’s plumbing system is vital.

A Buyer’s Guide to Things You Should Know About Your Home’s Plumbing

Here are some of the things you should know about your home’s plumbing system:

Home water pressure – having consistent water pressure in your home is important; if the water pressure fluctuates it could mean there is a problem with the pipes that leads to the municipal mainline. The solution could be just an adjustment that a professional plumber could make to correct it.

Water temperature and safety – knowing where the water heater is and making sure it is not surround by storage items such as paint cans or chemicals is important, especially if your water heater has a pilot-lite, as it creates a fire hazard. Setting your hot water heater to a specific temperature that you find comfortable is good, just make sure if you go on vacation and are gone for longer than a few days that you turn off your water heater.

If your water heater is an older model and will not maintain a consistent temperature, and does not produce enough hot water, or the water is always scalding hot, then you should call a plumber to inspect it. It is not uncommon for new homeowners to replace an older hot water heater after they have moved into a new home. First-time home buyers should know that hot water heater maintenance can significantly extend the life of their hot water heater.

Drain maintenance – first-time home buyers should be aware of the importance of using drain covers to prevent solid objects, food, garbage, debris, or hair from going down drains, as these can build-up and cause an obstruction. It is also advised not to rely on store bought drain cleaners to unclog drains.

While drain cleaners may work to break-up solid obstruction in your pipes, these can also cause damage to your plumbing system, and, storing drain cleaner chemicals in your home is not safe if you have children in the house.

These are some of the things every first-time home buyer should know, but most importantly, if you suspect there is a problem with your home’s plumbing it is always recommended to call a professional plumber to be safe.

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