Plumbing Features to Check Before Buying your New Home

Congratulations, you've found your dream home and you're ready to make an offer. However, before you start gearing up for that move to Chicago , it might be worth slowing down for a moment and thinking about what you're really investing in. Home buyer inspections are common these days, but a standard inspection might not involve getting a real, effective plumber to come in and check all your systems.

Unfortunately, this means that a homeowner moves into their new property without a good understanding of what's happening with their pipes. After a few months, you could end up dealing with a number of expensive problems you never foresaw. Working with a plumber service to inspect your home before you make the move is one of the best ways to make sure that you don't set yourself up for any shocks. Here are just some of the things you should check before signing on the dotted line.

1. Examine the Toilets

Let's face it when you're moving to a new home in Chicago, you want to be checking out the local attractions, the fantastic view from your window, and the size of your bedrooms. That means you're probably not going to be spending a lot of time checking whether each of your toilets works. However, the last thing you want is to move into your new house and discover that you instantly need the support of a plumber.

The good news is that working with a plumber to examine your potential home before you move means that you might be able to get any issues fixed before your family is running around, trying to get by without a working toilet.

2. Think about the Sewers

Often, when homeowners take their property onto the real estate market, they look for various ways to make that home more appealing. For instance, they might hire professionals to wash the outside of their structure, or invest in a new coat of paint for some of the inner rooms. The chances are, they won't dedicate a lot of time to checking that the sewers are running properly.

Sewer repairs can be extremely costly, so it's important to check out the details as early as possible, so you can avoid overspending if the cost of repairing a sewer issue takes you over your budget. It's worth looking for dirty water pumps that need replacing too. Your plumber will be able to help you figure out which parts of your plumbing need the most work.

3. Know How Your Water Heaters are Holding Up

Finally, if you're moving home in summer, you may not even think to check the water heaters. However, depending on the quality of your water, and the support of a long-term maintenance plan, a typical water heater will only last for around ten years or so. You'll need to make sure that it's in a good enough condition to keep you and your family comfortable in the winter months.

Checking for issues with your water heater in advance is a good way to make sure that you're not hit with a nasty surprise when the cold weather rolls around.

Guest Contributor, Micheal Brennan